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Economy, jobs and prices in Cambridge, Massachusetts: official figures

The median household income in Cambridge was $130,748 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 70th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the Massachusetts median $103,960.

Median household income
$130,748
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
3.4%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
25.8 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$2,787
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$1,092,100
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
33.5%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
94.8%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Cambridge?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Cambridge averaged $78,723 a year in 2020-2024, 29th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; Massachusetts: $57,897).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Cambridge?

Cambridge's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.496 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 114th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

3.4% of the civilian labor force in Cambridge was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (2,494 people), 86th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and Massachusetts' 5.2%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Cambridge are working?

69.6% of Cambridge's 105,754 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 173rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Cambridge have jobs?

70,999 residents of Cambridge held civilian jobs, 67.1% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 139 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Cambridge?

The largest industry group for working residents of Cambridge was education, health care and social assistance (40.9% of employed residents), followed by professional, scientific, management and administrative services (24.5%) and manufacturing (7.0%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Cambridge work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 7.0% of working residents of Cambridge, 258th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 24.5% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

Commuters in Cambridge took 25.8 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 337th longest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 5.4% travelled an hour or more and 21.7% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Cambridge get to work?

30.8% of workers living in Cambridge worked from home in 2020-2024, 39th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 19.7% drove to work alone, 2.5% carpooled, 18.0% used public transport and 19.2% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Cambridge was $2,787 a month in 2020-2024, 26th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; Massachusetts: $1,762).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Cambridge?

Owner-occupied homes in Cambridge had a median value of $1,092,100 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 43rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; Massachusetts: $562,100).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Cambridge?

The median home value in Cambridge was 8.4 times the median household income, 64th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Cambridge, Massachusetts own their home?

33.5% of the 49,444 occupied homes in Cambridge were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 32,897 were rented, 20th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; Massachusetts: 62.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Cambridge have broadband?

94.8% of households in Cambridge had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 211th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; Massachusetts: 92.8%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Cambridge have no internet?

2.4% of households in Cambridge (1,188) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 129th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 6.7% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Cambridge compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 70 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
67Centennial$131,928
68Lehi$131,299
69Allen$130,901
70Cambridge$130,748
71Eden Prairie$130,489
72Walnut Creek$130,432
73Fishers$130,203
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 29 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
26Sandy Springs$83,136
27Redondo Beach$81,707
28Alexandria$79,474
29Cambridge$78,723
30San Clemente$78,623
31Laguna Niguel$77,395
32Washington$77,348
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 114 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
111St. Petersburg0.496
112Newark0.496
113Midland0.496
114Cambridge0.496
115Columbia0.495
116Burbank0.495
117Mobile0.495
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 738 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
735Burleson3.5%
736Cary3.5%
737Bartlett3.4%
738Cambridge3.4%
739Holly Springs3.4%
740Charleston3.4%
741Amarillo3.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 173 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
170Danbury69.7%
171San Francisco69.6%
172Greer69.6%
173Cambridge69.6%
174Allen69.6%
175Lake Forest69.6%
176Rogers69.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 337 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
334Centennial25.9
335Laguna Niguel25.9
336Florissant25.8
337Cambridge25.8
338Fall River25.8
339Milpitas25.8
340Peabody25.8
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 39 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
36Folsom31.0%
37Oak Park31.0%
38San Francisco31.0%
39Cambridge30.8%
40Walnut Creek30.8%
41Austin30.7%
42Leander30.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 18 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
15Hempstead19.2%
16Malden18.8%
17San Francisco18.7%
18Cambridge18.0%
19Chicago17.7%
20Philadelphia16.7%
21Quincy16.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 566 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
563Medford7.1%
564Roswell7.1%
565Victorville7.0%
566Cambridge7.0%
567San Luis Obispo7.0%
568Lawrence7.0%
569Parker7.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 7 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
4Stillwater43.1%
5Champaign42.3%
6New Haven41.3%
7Cambridge40.9%
8Davis40.8%
9Corvallis40.4%
10Bloomington40.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 26 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
23Mission Viejo$2,839
24Carlsbad$2,808
25South San Francisco$2,802
26Cambridge$2,787
27Brentwood$2,758
28Camarillo$2,734
29Union City$2,713
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 43 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
40Glendale$1,102,300
41Huntington Beach$1,100,000
42Pasadena$1,093,300
43Cambridge$1,092,100
44Burbank$1,089,100
45Torrance$1,074,700
46Fountain Valley$1,072,300
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 61 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
58Tustin8.4x
59San Jose8.4x
60San Diego8.4x
61Cambridge8.4x
62Diamond Bar8.3x
63San Leandro8.3x
64Miami8.3x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 804 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
801Camden34.4%
802Somerville34.2%
803Hoboken33.8%
804Cambridge33.5%
805New York32.8%
806Greenville32.7%
807East Orange31.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 211 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
208Apple Valley94.8%
209Hayward94.8%
210Rancho Cucamonga94.8%
211Cambridge94.8%
212Olympia94.8%
213Chula Vista94.7%
214Deltona94.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Cambridge ranks 695 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
692Chino2.4%
693Troy2.4%
694Redwood City2.4%
695Cambridge2.4%
696Encinitas2.4%
697Orem2.4%
698Olathe2.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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