What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($1092k median).

Boston has the most affordable homes ($732k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cambridge	Boston
People
Population	118,796Lowest	666,442Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA	33.3±0.2Highest 17% below MA
Kids under 18	12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±0.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	13%±0.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Boston and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	80.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	15%±0.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,748±$4kHighest 26% above MA	$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA	$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA	$2,147±$25Lowest 22% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,802Highest 20% below MA	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	12.8%Lowest MA: 10%	16.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	35.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6%	21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#122 of 282 in MA	#258 of 282 in MA
School district	Cambridge	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston
High school in town	Cambridge Rindge and Latin	Boston Latin School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	18.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.