Cambridge vs Washington
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $737,100 in Washington and $1,092,100 in Cambridge.
- Households earn more in Cambridge ($130,748 vs $109,870 median).
- Washington has the warmer winter: January highs of 45°F vs 37°F.
- Cambridge gets far more snow: 49 inches a year vs 14.
- Washington has more scorching days: 40 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 14.
- Cambridge is growing faster: +3.5% since 2020 vs +0.6%.
- Commutes are shorter in Cambridge (26 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Cambridge, MA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 122,588 | 693,645 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.5% | +0.6% |
| People per square mile | 19,163 | 11,348 |
| Median age | 30.4 | 34.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81% | 64% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $130,748 | $109,870 |
| Median home value | $1,092,100 | $737,100 |
| Home value to income | 8.4× | 6.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,787 | $1,954 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.3 | 108.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 148.4 | 151.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,200 | $81,700 |
| Homeowners | 34% | 42% |
| Top state income tax | 9% | 10.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.25% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.8 | 30.0 |
| Work from home | 31% | 33% |
| Take public transit | 18% | 20% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.4% | 6.3% |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 15.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 37° / 23° | 45° / 30° |
| July high / low | 82° / 66° | 90° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 44 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 14 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 14 | 40 |
| Nights below freezing | 92 | 60 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.9 | 97.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 71% | 59% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.8% | +0.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +39.7% | +16.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Cambridge: May to October. Washington: April to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Cambridge weather by month and Washington weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,200 in Cambridge and $81,700 in Washington. Moving from Cambridge to Washington, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Cambridge and Washington
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Cambridge and Washington.
Which would you pick?
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