Somerville is one of the densest cities in the United States; in fact it’s the densest city in New England and the sixth densest in the country, according to the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP). Somerville has a population of more than 77,000, living within 4.2 square miles; that’s 18,333 people per square mile. And more than one-quarter of Somerville households don’t own a car.

Public transportation – the MBTA – does, despite its flaws, moves large quantities of people – over 1.3 million riders per day, in fact, as of June 2014. Yet Somerville, New England’s densest city, has only one T stop: Davis Square, on the Red Line.

That is set to change with completion of the Green Line Extension, plans of which call for the addition of five Green Line stops in Somerville.

And Somerville’s housing market is booming because of it. According to Zillow, the median home value, median list price, and median sale price in Somerville has experienced considerable growth between June 2012 – when the Federal Transit Administration granted the state’s transportation department (MassDOT) approval to seek funding for new stations – through June 2014.

June 2012 – June 2014 Somerville Housing Market:
Median home value increase: $367,000 to $470,000
Median list price increase: $389,000 to $485,000
Median sale price increase: $404,000-$460,000

Proposed Somerville GLX stations Union Square, Washington Street, Gilman Square, Lowell Street, and Ball Square are expected fill the gap between the Red Line and the Orange Line, providing within-walking-distance access to public transportation to residents of one of Somerville’s most congested strips.

Though the GLX has been hampered by delays, the project, having finally broke ground in December 2012, is scheduled to be completed by 2020 – and it needs to be.

Maps via MassDOT, STEP

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