Cambridge, MA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Cambridge, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Cambridge →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Cambridge, Massachusetts is home to roughly 117,962 residents. The typical household here earns $121,539 a year — above the median we track across cities (+69%).
Anyone weighing a move to Cambridge should know the median home value is $997,600, above the multi-city median (+205%), and median rent runs $2,628 per month. Current mortgage rates and local property taxes both affect the real math of buying versus renting.
At roughly 8.2 times median income, Cambridge's home values rank among the more stretched we track — buying here takes a larger share of local pay. Home prices near Cambridge have risen a steady 3.56% over the past year — measured growth, not a spike. FEMA rates Cambridge's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $2,628/mo in Cambridge would take 25.9% of your income.
$410/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($997,600) would take 52.6% of your income toward principal & interest.
$2,490/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Cambridge
Median home value is $997,600 and median gross rent is $2,628/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Middlesex rose 3.56% over the past year (as of 2025).
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Cambridge's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Cambridge reported a violent crime rate of 435.7 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Cambridge
Planning a move to Cambridge? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Cambridge, MA?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Cambridge — median home value of $997,600, median rent of $2,628/month — set against a median household income of $121,539 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cambridge?
- A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $2,628/month in Cambridge, that implies an income of about $105,120 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Cambridge.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Cambridge?
- Buying at Cambridge's median home value of $997,600 takes about $228,246 a year in principal-and-interest income (20% down, 30-year fixed, current mortgage rates), compared with roughly $105,120 a year to comfortably rent at the median $2,628/month. Down payment and expected length of stay usually settle the question.
- Is Cambridge safe?
- FBI data puts Cambridge's violent crime rate at 435.7 per 100,000 residents for 2025 — a useful benchmark alongside other cities you're weighing.
See the full salary breakdown for Cambridge →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Cambridge's.