City of Somerville

CITY GOVERNMENT: Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Board of Aldermen govern the City of Somerville, which the Boston Globe called Massachusetts' "Best Run City." Numerous national awards and recognition bestowed upon Somerville in recent years include three "All America City" awards, four designations as a U.S. "100 Best Communities for Young People," and federal recognition for the Shape Up Somerville program, which aims to reduce childhood obesity. In 2011, Somerville was named a Massachusetts "Green City" and ranked nationally as a "Bike-Friendly City" and "Most Walkable City." More details at www.somervillema.gov. THE CITY ITSELF: Somerville just may be the most interesting 4.1 square miles in New England. Next door to Boston and Cambridge, Somerville is not just close to the abundance of history, high tech, top schools, and culture the Boston area offers, it's a central part of it. George Washington raised the first U.S. flag here, and today Somerville's truly diverse population of 76,000 spans all walks of life and hails from across the globe (61 languages are spoken by students at the high school). The City is known for its thriving restaurant scene, ethnic markets, a proud blue-collar heritage, its highly educated and high-tech population (drawn by Harvard, MIT, and Tufts), and an active and always original arts community (more artists per square mile live here than in any U.S. city other than NYC). City of Somerville on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity