This MA City Among 50 Best Places In U.S. To Live: Fortune

SOMERVILLE, MA — The best place in Massachusetts to plant roots for a lifetime is Somerville, according to Fortune's new ranking of the nation's 50 Best Places to Live for Families.

In the analysis, Fortune said Somerville, which has a population of 81,298, is cited for its close proximity to Boston, its growing arts and cultural influences on lifestyle, and what Fortune calls "a suburban-meets-urban vibe with an underlying college town feel, thanks to Tufts University."

Somerville also benefits from 60 local parks and school funding that is higher than the state average.

The median average single-family house in the city is worth $877,946 with the city boasting an ethnically diverse population of 66.2 percent white, 11.9 percent Hispanic, 10.9 percent Asian and 5.6 percent Black.

Fortune said its list reflects qualities people look for when they decide where to raise families and retire.

"A great place to live not only supports families in the present but also serves them in the long term. With a growing portion of Americans caring for both children and aging parents, more people want to live where multigenerational families can thrive," the news outlet said.

Fortune said it analyzed more than 2,000 cities and nearly 200 data categories, which included livability, financial health, resources for aging adults, education and wellness.

The cities chosen, one for each state, are sustainable for both their youngest and oldest residents and include fast-growing suburbs and edge cities that find creative ways to improve people’s well-being, Fortune said.