Cambridge is home to 118,796 people in Massachusetts. 81% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,092,100. Owners hold 33% of the housing stock. The median age is 30.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. Median rent is $2,787 a month.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $130,748, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
81% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 81%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Cambridge
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree54.2% → 80.8%(+26.6 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$79,538 → $130,748(+64%)US over the same years: +14%
Asian share8.5% → 20.2%(+11.8 pts)US over the same years: +3.1 pts
Cambridge's population equals 7.3% of Middlesex County's. Its number of households without a car equals 25% of the county's. Its number of veterans equals 3.9% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)32.3%(551)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.3%(261)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.1%(564)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.2%(157)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.7%(46)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,704 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Cambridge, decade by decade
Cambridge population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
95,802
$79,538
$616,338
54.2%
57.1
2000
101,355
$87,401
$604,061
65.1%
68.6
2010
105,162
$93,313
$806,463
72.1%
71.6
2020
118,403
$130,282
$1,021,870
79.1%
79.5
2024
118,796
$130,748
$1,092,100
80.8%
80.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
