Population 116,867 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cambridge
Household size in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.02 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.08 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.07 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Cambridge is a place of small households, averaging 2.07 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.02 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only six of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.0 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.1 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Cambridge is young: half of its residents are under 32.1, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 33.4, even as the national median rose. Only three of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.3% of households in Cambridge, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cambridge
Renters in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.1% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.2% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 66.6% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Cambridge: 66.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (40.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only four of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Cambridge as nationally: 11.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Boston area (6.7%). Vacancy is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Cambridge is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1950 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,429 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,610 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,241 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,761 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,332 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cambridge costs $2,761 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,332 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only nine of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cambridge
Bachelor's degrees in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.5% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 76.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 79.3% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 81.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Cambridge is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (81.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 15 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.9% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cambridge: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cambridge
| Period | Cambridge | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Cambridge has been strong: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cambridge compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 2.07 | 32.1 | 6.3% | 66.6% | 11.0% | 1959 | $2,761 | 81.4% | 96.4% | 3.3% |
| Somerville | 2.27 | 32.9 | 3.9% | 65.7% | 6.6% | 1945 | $2,529 | 70.5% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
| Allston | 2.21 | 28.4 | 6.2% | 87.6% | 10.5% | 1955 | $2,483 | 73.5% | 95.3% | 5.9% |
| Watertown | 2.47 | 43.4 | 12.3% | 49.8% | 3.6% | 1938 | $3,082 | 80.7% | 99.7% | 3.2% |
| Brookline | 2.20 | 36.1 | 4.6% | 56.8% | 4.7% | 1946 | $2,825 | 85.1% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
| Charlestown | 2.14 | 36.7 | 9.4% | 49.3% | 6.3% | 1954 | $2,333 | 72.5% | 91.7% | 4.0% |
| Brighton | 2.00 | 31.4 | 6.1% | 76.3% | 6.9% | 1956 | $2,204 | 72.1% | 88.7% | 3.6% |
| Medford | 2.42 | 38.0 | 7.9% | 45.4% | 7.1% | 1950 | $2,421 | 59.6% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 44.3 | 7.1% | 34.7% | 5.9% | 1946 | $2,468 | 80.9% | 97.6% | 4.5% |
| Watertown Town | 2.17 | 40.8 | 5.7% | 52.3% | 5.9% | 1952 | $2,543 | 66.5% | 94.5% | 4.8% |
| Boston area | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.7% | 38.4% | 6.7% | 1964 | $2,051 | 51.9% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kalamazoo, MI · Katy, TX · Hoover, AL · Irving, TX · Indianapolis, IN · Kansas City, MO · Kansas City, KS · Jackson, MS · Humble, TX · Huntington Beach, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cambridge. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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