What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).

Pelham has the most homeowners (79.1%).

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	Pelham
People
Population	118,796Highest	1,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA	45±8.4Highest 13% above MA
Kids under 18	12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	80.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	64.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,748±$4kHighest 26% above MA	$113,750±$24kLowest 9% above MA
	Cambridge and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA	$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA	$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,802Lowest 20% below MA	$7,472Highest 25% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45%±2.3Highest MA: 51.8%	42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Cambridge and Pelham 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%	10.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 11% below MA	23 minLowest 21% below MA
Work from home	30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Pelham 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	#122 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Cambridge	Pelham
High school in town	Cambridge Rindge and Latin	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3	—
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.