City · Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, city, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Cambridge had 122,588 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 118,403 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 118,796 (±73). GEOID 2511000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
122,588
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 118,403 · ACS 2020-2024: 118,796 ±73
Median household income
$130,748
±$3,564 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$1,092,100
±$42,162 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$2,787
±$48 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Cambridge and what county is it in?
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It covers 6.4 square miles of land, 18,509 residents per square mile in 2020.
Cambridge is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cambridge, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 122,588 people lived in Cambridge on July 1, 2025, up 3.5% since 2020, faster than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 118,403 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 118,796 (±73).
| Measure | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 118,796 ±73 | 1,638,365 | +2,164 |
| Households | 49,444 ±765 | 634,215 | +2,609 |
| Average household size | 2.05 ±0.03 | 2.49 | −0.08 |
| Housing units | 54,840 ±793 | 664,267 | +2,958 |
Cambridge's population since 2000
From 101,355 in 2000 to 122,588 in 2025: up 20.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cambridge as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cambridge?
The median resident of Cambridge is 30.4 years old; 12.4% are under 18 and 12.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 53.8%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 20.2%. 29.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.4 ±0.4 | 38.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 12.4% ±0.8 pts | 19.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.2% ±0.7 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±0.9 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.8% ±0.9 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 53.8% ±1.6 pts | 65.1% | −6.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.3% ±1.0 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 20.2% ±1.2 pts | 13.6% | +3.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.8% ±0.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 29.7% ±1.2 pts | 23.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 35.2% ±1.5 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.6% ±0.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| With a disability | 7.5% ±0.6 pts | 9.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.7% ±0.5 pts | 2.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.0% ±0.7 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 80.8% ±1.3 pts | 59.5% | +1.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 51.2% ±1.6 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 74.5% ±1.3 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 8.5% ±0.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cambridge earn?
Half of Cambridge's 49,444 households earn less than $130,748 a year (±$3,564), against $130,847 in Middlesex County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $126,951 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $130,748 ±$3,564 | $130,847 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $183,408 ±$4,755 | $178,070 | – |
| Per capita income | $78,723 ±$2,057 | $69,556 | +$6,452 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.8% ±1.2 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.2% ±4.0 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.4% ±1.1 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.5% ±0.4 pts | 97.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.8% ±0.8 pts | 94.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cambridge?
Owners occupy 33.5% of Cambridge's occupied homes and renters 66.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,092,100 by its owner (±$42,162). The median renter pays $2,787 a month including utilities, and 35.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,092,100 ±$42,162 | $727,800 | +$146,558 |
| Median gross rent | $2,787 ±$48 | $2,201 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.4% ±1.7 pts | 37.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,505 ±$161 | $3,224 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 33.5% ±1.1 pts | 61.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 66.5% ±1.1 pts | 38.7% | – |
| Housing units | 54,840 ±793 | 664,267 | +2,958 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.5% ±1.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 9.9% ±0.8 pts | 46.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.1% ±0.8 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 47.0% ±1.3 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 33.2% ±1.5 pts | 10.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cambridge building?
Builders took permits for 59 new housing units in Cambridge in 2025 (16 in single-family houses), 0.5 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cambridge work and get to work?
19.7% of Cambridge's workers drive alone and 30.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.4%.
| Measure | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.6% ±1.0 pts | 69.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±0.6 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 19.7% ±1.2 pts | 54.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.5% ±0.4 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 18.0% ±1.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Walked | 19.2% ±1.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 30.8% ±1.4 pts | 24.7% | +23.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.8 min ±0.7 | 29.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cambridge?
33 census tracts lie mostly in Cambridge (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $71,302 (Tract 3531.02) to $221,250 (Tract 3542).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3594Middlesex County | 7,178 | $120,307 |
| Tract 3531.02Middlesex County | 5,848 | $71,302 |
| Tract 3539Middlesex County | 5,808 | $74,076 |
| Tract 3532Middlesex County | 5,368 | $142,083 |
| Tract 3549.02Middlesex County | 5,366 | $80,417 |
| Tract 3537Middlesex County | 5,243 | $109,514 |
| Tract 3523Middlesex County | 4,877 | $171,633 |
| Tract 3540Middlesex County | 4,869 | $85,592 |
| Tract 3536Middlesex County | 4,824 | $138,429 |
| Tract 3546.02Middlesex County | 4,613 | $104,155 |
| Tract 3538Middlesex County | 4,490 | $137,833 |
| Tract 3533Middlesex County | 3,932 | $183,750 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cambridge) · Census block assignment files
How does Cambridge compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cambridge is the 244th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 4th-most populous of 58 in Massachusetts.
Cambridge ranks 138th of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 4th | 58 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 56th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 2nd | 461 |
| Median household income | 138th | 453 |
| Per capita income | 70th | 460 |
| Median home value | 25th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 9th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 48th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15th | 459 |
| Median age | 455th | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 458th | 460 |
| Work from home | 49th | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 339th | 459 |
Cambridge's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Cambridge with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cambridge?
4 of the 57 figures for Cambridge on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cambridge are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Cambridge.