Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hingham vs Belmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Belmont has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Cambridge | Hingham | Belmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
24,283Lowest |
27,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
42.9±1 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Belmont and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8% MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
$183,137±$14kHighest 76% above MA |
| Belmont and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42kLowest 94% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA |
| Belmont and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$2,465±$603Lowest 40% above MA |
$2,527±$105 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±6.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and Belmont 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #3 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Hingham | — |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Hingham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.