Compare towns
Boston vs Jericho vs Milton vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jericho has the most affordable homes ($493k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
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 | Boston | Jericho | Milton | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
5,114Lowest |
28,587 |
118,796 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jericho and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
80.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$116,923±$16k 45% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$493,100±$38kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31k 180% above U.S. |
$1,092,100±$42kHighest 228% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$1,731±$111 23% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,787±$48Highest 97% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,318 135% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
$4,802 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cambridge and Milton 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #6 of 70 in VT | #55 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Milton | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | Milton High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
13.0 |
12.4 |
9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.