--- title: The 10 Best Places to Live in the Northeast description: Our list of the Northeast has spots for everyone, as long as you can brave the cold. authors: - name: Adam Hardy role: Lead Data Reporter url: https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/ bio: Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers. education: University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 501 covers: - Housing - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - The Penny Hoarder - Forbes Advisor - Creative Loafing - The New York Times - The Washington Post - Bloomberg - Harvard Law School - The Federal Register - National Consumer Law Center - CBS News - Becker's Hospital Review - Business Insider - Mother Jones - The Week - Fortune - The Philadelphia Inquirer - National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) - Education Advisory Board (EAB) - The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) - This Morning with Gordon Deal - Empower - Reddit social: - https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/ editors: - name: Samantha Sharf role: Editor url: https://money.com/author/samantha-sharf/ bio: Samantha Sharf is Money's real estate editor. She previously wrote about amazing homes and billion-dollar real estate entrepreneurs for Forbes. at_money_since: 2020 articles: 34 covers: - Housing - Economy and Politics - Lifestyle - Mortgages - Personal Finance social: - https://twitter.com/samsharf - https://linkedin.com/in/samanthasharf/ former_staff: true published: '2023-01-09T18:45:51.000Z' modified: '2024-04-17T13:02:28.000Z' section: Housing tags: - Best Places to Live word_count: 629 canonical: https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Art Beat Fare 2022 in Somerville, Massachusetts](https://img.money.com/2023/01/BPL22-Northeast-Somerville-Massachusetts-.jpg) *Somerville, Massachusetts* Presented by ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/16756/5163d535-82a0-4087-80f2-8627251387ea.png) Becoming a homeowner is closer than you think with AmeriSave Mortgage. Don't wait any longer, start your journey today! [Go to AmeriSave.com](https://money.com/pr/s0033bdcef33?ap_referrer=%2Fbest-places-to-live-in-the-northeast%2F) In Somerville, Massachusetts, WTF takes on a different meaning: What the Fluff? As in Marshmallow Fluff. If the rumors are to be believed, a Somerville resident invented the creamy confection in the early 1900s. However, as [Boston.com points out](https://www.boston.com/news/food/2017/09/22/for-100-years-fluff-has-stuck-to-its-somerville-roots-but-the-story-isnt-that-simple/), the truth behind the oft-cited tidbit isn’t so simple (similar marshmallow creams predate Fluff by decades). Still, that doesn’t stop the bustling Boston suburb from throwing an [entire festival](https://www.flufffestival.com/) dedicated to Fluff each year. The latest fest, which happened in September, featured Fluff-themed musical chairs, limbo, jousting and parkour. Beyond Fluff, Somerville has a lot going for it. While the city is home to about 80,000 residents, don’t let its headcount and penchant for corny festivals fool you. Somerville, which is located just northwest of Boston and bordering Cambridge, has a big city vibe. In fact, at about four square miles, Somerville is the most densely populated city in New England. ## Your dream home is within reach with Lendingtree ### Get a low Mortgage Rate on a home you’ll love. Lendingtree Mortgage can guide you in your home-buying journey. All it takes is one click on your state to get the ball rolling. [VIEW RATES](https://money.com/pr/ye5863ca5374?ap_referrer=%2Fbest-places-to-live-in-the-northeast%2F) Not all products are eligible. All loans are subject to credit approval. [Additional](https://www.amerisave.com/lock-shop/) terms & conditions apply. Even referring to Somerville as merely a Boston suburb partially blunts what makes it Money’s pick for the best place to live in the Northeast (and No. 7 on our overall Best Places to Live list) — though its integration with one of the nation’s most historic cities certainly doesn’t hurt. For this [regional list](https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-every-region/), we focused on places with populations of at least 50,000 that were located in the nine Northeastern states as defined by the [U.S. Census](https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf). Those states are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. We also limited the ranking to one place per county and two places per state. As with our core [Best Places to Live](https://money.com/best-places-to-live/?ref=/best-big-cities/) ranking, we collected approximately 350 pieces of data on each Northeastern place and grouped that information into nine primary ranking categories including cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity and more. (See our [full Best Places methodology](https://money.com/best-places-to-live/methodology/?ref=/best-big-cities/) for more details.) Middlesex, the county where Somerville is located, dominated the Northeastern contenders. In particular, Somerville stands out from the area for its quality of life, amenities, diversity and relative affordability. That wasn’t always the case. In decades past, locals referred to Somerville as Slummerville. After [careful planning](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/11/25/somerville-video-harvard-kennedy-school/) from the local government and Harvard Kennedy School, the city now boasts thriving arts, food and brewery scenes and has taken on ambitious projects to expand its public transit system as well as its walkable and bikeable trails. ## New home, new possibilities ### Lendingtree Mortgage can help you achieve your dream of homeownership, starting with a competitive Mortgage Rate that meets your needs. Just click below! [GET STARTED](https://money.com/pr/qbc2c52a13a0?ap_referrer=%2Fbest-places-to-live-in-the-northeast%2F) Not all products are eligible. All loans are subject to credit approval. [Additional](https://www.amerisave.com/lock-shop/) terms & conditions apply. Local officials have implemented these changes with a focus on equity and inclusion. For example, the city recently created a [Department of Racial and Social Justice](https://www.somervillema.gov/rsj) — a branch of the mayor’s office — to eliminate inequities in the community through local policing, public safety and other initiatives. The tacky nickname thankfully fell off, too. In addition to all the bragging rights above, Somerville is now one of the safest areas in the country, provides a well-rated school system and continues to attract top-tier college students from all over the globe due to its closeness to [Tufts](https://money.com/best-colleges/profile/tufts-university/), [Harvard](https://money.com/best-colleges/profile/harvard-university/) and [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://money.com/best-colleges/profile/massachusetts-institute-of-technology/). While the Boston area isn’t exactly known for its affordability, Somerville is notably less expensive and provides great value for the perks it offers. According to Realtor.com, the median home price in Somerville is now $705,000 compared to Boston’s $740,000. Data from Rent.com shows that Somerville renters are paying an average of $2,225 for a one-bedroom apartment, while a comparable place in Boston runs $3,734 on average. ## The 10 best places to live in the Northeast 1. Somerville, Massachusetts 2. Jersey City, New Jersey 3. Abington, Pennsylvania 4. Nashua, New Hampshire 5. Brookline, Massachusetts 6. North Hempstead, New York 7. Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey 8. Greenburgh, New York 9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 10. Portland, Maine ## Take the first step to becoming a homeowner today ### Get a Mortgage Rate that works for you. Lendingtree Mortgage can help you get started with just a few clicks. Get started now by clicking below. [VIEW RATES](https://money.com/pr/w098d1d27f91?ap_referrer=%2Fbest-places-to-live-in-the-northeast%2F) Not all products are eligible. All loans are subject to credit approval. [Additional](https://www.amerisave.com/lock-shop/) terms & conditions apply. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Housing", "item": "https://money.com/housing/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Places to Live", "item": "https://money.com/places-to-live/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The 10 Best Places to Live in the Northeast" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/", "name": "The 10 Best Places to Live in the Northeast", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2023-01-09T18:45:51.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2024-04-17T13:02:28.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "The 10 Best Places to Live in the Northeast", "articleSection": "Housing", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2023/01/BPL22-Northeast-Somerville-Massachusetts-.jpg", "width": 2127, "height": 1418, "caption": "BPL22-Northeast-Somerville-Massachusetts" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hardy", "url": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/#author", "description": "Adam Hardy is a lead data journalist at Money, where he frequently reports on financial barriers that affect low-income Americans. Adam’s work has also appeared in Business Insider, Forbes, Nasdaq, The Penny Hoarder, Yahoo! Finance and more than a dozen local and regional newspapers.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/01/a_adam-hardy.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "email": "adam.hardy@money.com", "jobTitle": "Lead Data Reporter", "alumniOf": "University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism", "subjectOf": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/", "name": "The Penny Hoarder" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/advisor/", "name": "Forbes Advisor" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://creativeloafing.com/", "name": "Creative Loafing" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/biden-trump-harris-2024.html", "name": "The New York Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/26/flexible-spending-account-is-flawed-benefit/", "name": "The Washington Post" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-09-20/-100-000-h-1b-visa-fee-is-a-gamble-that-could-protect-us-jobs", "name": "Bloomberg" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2024/02/08/whoop-and-the-irs-how-tax-avoidance-helps-health/", "name": "Harvard Law School" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b#footnote-33-p60883", "name": "The Federal Register" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nclc.org/resources/what-states-can-do-to-stop-credit-reporting-abuses/", "name": "National Consumer Law Center" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/open-enrollment-irs-changes-fsa-hsa-flexible-spending-account-health-savings-account-2023/", "name": "CBS News" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/20-top-us-hospitals-for-2025-per-money/", "name": "Becker's Hospital Review" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/using-chatgpt-ai-write-cover-letters-job-applications-2023-2", "name": "Business Insider" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/a-major-strike-of-beef-workers-pauses-in-colorado-but-workers-say-the-fight-isnt-over/", "name": "Mother Jones" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://theweek.com/business/economy/job-market-frozen-thawing", "name": "The Week" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://fortune.com/2023/12/20/workers-lose-money-on-unused-fsa-accounts-deadlines-what-companies-should-do/", "name": "Fortune" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/liberation-day-tariffs-economy-stock-market-trump-20250401.html", "name": "The Philadelphia Inquirer" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/37955/Student_Loan_Changes_2026_New_Repayment_Options_Taxable_Forgiveness_and_More_on_the_Way", "name": "National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://eab.com/resources/blog/adult-education-blog/graduate-funding-shift-pricing-aid-strategies-aligned/", "name": "Education Advisory Board (EAB)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://ticas.org/california/state-private-loans-protections-blog/", "name": "The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://thismorningwithgordondeal.com/b/This-Morning-with-Gordon-Deal-August-04,-2026/421564107823081285.html", "name": "This Morning with Gordon Deal" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.empower.com/the-currency/life/pumpkin-spice-season-spending", "name": "Empower" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/1va10oa/comment/p0i9bju/", "name": "Reddit" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/" ], "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2023-01-09T18:45:51.000Z", "description": "Our list of the Northeast has spots for everyone, as long as you can brave the cold.", "abstract": "Our list of the Northeast has spots for everyone, as long as you can brave the cold.", "@id": "https://money.com/best-places-to-live-in-the-northeast/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2024-04-17T13:02:28.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samantha Sharf", "url": "https://money.com/author/samantha-sharf/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/samantha-sharf/#author", "description": "Samantha Sharf is Money's real estate editor. She previously wrote about amazing homes and billion-dollar real estate entrepreneurs for Forbes.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2020/06/Samantha-Sharf.png?w=226&h=247&crop=1", "sameAs": [ "https://twitter.com/samsharf", "https://linkedin.com/in/samanthasharf/" ] } ], "wordCount": 629, "keywords": [ "Best Places to Live" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Housing in the United States", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_in_the_United_States" ] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "City quality of life indices", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_quality_of_life_indices" ] } ] } ] } ```