City Profile

Cambridge, Massachusetts

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a globally renowned city located directly across the Charles River from Boston, steeped in rich American history dating back to its founding in 1630 as NewTowne. Best known as the home of two of the world's premier academic institutions—Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)—the city balances historic colonial charm with cutting-edge modernity. People are drawn to Cambridge for its intellectual vibrancy, progressive politics, exceptionally walkable neighborhoods, and dynamic urban culture.

About Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a New England state known for its rich history, world-class educational institutions, and diverse communities. Its economy is robust, driven by major industries such as technology, healthcare, biotechnology, finance, and education. Living in Massachusetts generally comes with a high cost of living, particularly for housing, which is significantly above the national average. The state experiences a humid continental climate with distinct four seasons, including cold, snowy winters and warm, rainy summers. The lifestyle is often characterized by a fast-paced, well-educated populace that values hard work, civic responsibility, and a vibrant cultural scene.

118,258

Population

$92K

Avg Salary

165

Cost Index

57.0

Quality Score

How this 57/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 78 / 100	78.0	30%	23.4
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 165.0	0.0	25%	0.0
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $118,500 Income needed to live here: $85,000 Unemployment rate: 3.2%	79.6	20%	15.9
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.8% Job growth rate: 2.4%	56.5	15%	8.5
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 92 / 100	92.0	10%	9.2
Overall score				57.0

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 2 (reasoned) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Cambridge is significantly higher than the national average, driven primarily by extreme housing demand, proximity to Boston, and a highly affluent, educated population. Everyday expenses such as groceries, dining out, and services also trend well above the US baseline, reflecting the local high-income economy. While wages in sectors like biotech and tech are robust, newcomers often experience sticker shock when navigating the local real estate and rental markets.

Average Rent

$3,100/mo

Groceries

$520/mo

Transport

$100/mo

Utilities

$210/mo

Healthcare

$280/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$85.00

Cinema ticket

$16.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$30.00

Monthly groceries

$520.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$175.00

Income

Salary Insights

Cambridge boasts one of the most vibrant innovation economies in the United States, anchored by Kendall Square, often dubbed 'the most innovative square mile on the planet.' Major employment sectors include biotechnology, life sciences, higher education, software development, and professional scientific services. Major global employers like Novartis, Pfizer, Google, and Biogen operate major hubs here alongside thousands of startups. The local job market is exceptionally strong, with robust remote and hybrid work opportunities across professional fields.

The average salary in Cambridge is $92,000 per year. You would need approximately $85,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Healthcare and Social Assistance +2.00% Higher Education +1.20% Professional and Scientific Services +2.50% Information Technology and Software +2.90% Biotechnology and Life Sciences +3.50%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

51°F

Avg Temp

☀️

81°F

Summer High

❄️

21°F

Winter Low

🌧️

40.20"

Annual Rain

💧

64.00%

Humidity

🌤️

250

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Cambridge is a paradise for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users, featuring some of the highest walkability and transit scores in the country. The MBTA Red Line provides rapid subway access directly into downtown Boston, while numerous reliable bus lines crisscross the city's distinct squares. Car ownership can be burdensome and expensive due to tight street parking, heavy traffic congestion during peak hours, and prioritizing non-motorized transit infrastructure.

28 min

Avg Commute

85.00/10

Transit Score

91.00/10

Walkability

Low

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

World-class public transit and pedestrian infrastructure with a Walk Score over 90 per Redfin 2025 data

Global epicenter for biotechnology and life sciences careers centered around Kendall Square per BLS 2025 reports

Home to two top-tier global universities (Harvard and MIT) driving an intellectually vibrant cultural scene

Exceptionally low violent crime rate relative to national urban averages per FBI crime data 2025

Extensive green spaces, including miles of accessible waterfront along the Charles River Esplanade

Drawbacks

Extremely high cost of living, with average rents exceeding 3,000 USD per Zillow 2025 market reports

Severe housing shortage and hyper-competitive real estate market driving up purchase prices

Heavy traffic congestion and limited street parking for vehicle owners

State and local tax burdens that trend higher than the national average

Significant seasonal population fluctuations driven by the academic calendar

Head to Head

Compare Cambridge

Cambridge VS Grants Pass Cambridge VS Binghamton Cambridge VS Cincinnati Cambridge VS Syracuse

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Nearby Cities

Boston

Malden

Newton

Lynn

Community Q&A

Questions about Cambridge

What people ask about living in and moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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Gathering the most common questions about Cambridge…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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