Community Corner

Cost of Raising a Family in Somerville: Readers Speak Out

Childcare costs and housing prices make it tough, many said.

A number of people commented about a recent article on Somerville Patch that asked, "How much money does it take to raise a family in Somerville?"

The answer, it turned out, was $81,576.

That's for a family of four with two adults, a kid in school and another in preschool.

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The number came from a "economic independence calculator" posted by the Crittenton Women's Union. The calculator lets you add and subtract kids and adults and otherwise adjust for your own family circumstances.

Some readers questioned whether that number was too low or too high, and a number commented that Somerville is too expensive.

Find out what's happening in Somervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Warren Dew said, "It's about right for a family that doesn't need child care. If you need child care to cover for two parents who both work, add $40,000 before taxes to cover the $20,000 after-tax cost of child care for the preschooler."

"It's gotta be rough living in Somerville," wrote D. James. "With anything larger than a coat closet selling for $500, $600, $700K or more, good luck ever owning a house. This generation will truly be the first one that doesn't even keep up with the last."

Amanda Kersey, a former Somerville Patch reporter and Somerville resident, commented, "Our household makes just about enough to keep living in our one-bedroom apartment. It's probably because our transportation costs are almost zero because we ride bikes and then spend those savings on food (and student loan payments)."

The number—$81,576—illustrated for one local non-profit leader just how hard it can be for some families in the Somerville region.

Mark Alston-Follansbee, executive director of the Somerville Homeless Coalition, wrote, "The federal poverty level for a family of four is a little over $22K a year—with 50 million people in our country living in poverty. But the terrible effect of this 'recession' is that since 2008 the number of people in deep poverty—half the federal poverty level, or $11K a year for a family of four, has gone from 16 million to 25 million."

He continued: "Imagine a family of four in Somerville trying to survive on $11K a year. And we wonder why there are so many homeless? I'm amazed that more families aren't homeless; last year the Somerville Homeless Coalition prevented 387 people from becoming homeless, an increase over 225 in 2011. Wish we had the resources to help many more that come to us."

Julia Prange Wallerce, who works at the Somerville Community Corporation, commented, "[This is] why it is so important for us to support efforts to preserve and create affordable housing. This housing is not just for poor people anymore—it's for average working families who just want to be able to stay in their community."

Some felt Somerville was just downright expensive.

"I'd leave if I could afford to," said JFK. "Big mistake to try to raise a family in this town."

Lynn wrote, "This generation will have to do what my generation did and the generations before that did: Live where they can afford to live. If I were a young person today I'd be looking for a place to buy into an up-and-coming community."

"I just used the economic independence calculator for a single person living in Somerville.," wrote Susan Kinsella. "Supposedly one can live in Somerville on $31K. Ha! Try finding decent housing for $950 a month."


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