Compare towns
Belmont vs Cambridge vs Natick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belmont has the highest household income ($183k).
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Natick has the most affordable homes ($821k median).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Belmont | Cambridge | Natick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,175Lowest |
118,796Highest |
36,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1 7% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
43.3±1.4Highest 8% above MA |
| Natick and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Belmont and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $183,137±$14kHighest 76% above MA |
$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
$821,000±$25kLowest 46% above MA |
| Belmont and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,527±$105 43% above MA |
$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$2,134±$124Lowest 21% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±6.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Belmont and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.7% MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Belmont and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #3 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Belmont | Cambridge | Natick |
| High school in town | Belmont High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Natick High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
12.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.