Arlington vs Cambridge
Arlington, Massachusetts versus Cambridge, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Arlington and Cambridge score about the same overall (49 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arlington | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $136k | $122k |
| Cost of Living | $82k | $82k |
| Home Value | $839k | $998k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.06% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.58% | 14.72% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.4 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.0 in | 49.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 97 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 41.5 | 20.9 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 356/100k | 1147/100k |
| Property Crime | 555/100k | 2240/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,906 | 117,962 |
| Median Age | 40.7 | 30.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 74.0% | 56.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 10.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.1% | 8.7% |
| Asian (%) | 13.3% | 19.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 5.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 14.8/20 | 16.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 316.95 | 263.39 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Arlington or Cambridge more affordable?
- Cambridge has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Arlington's $82k and Cambridge's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Arlington versus $3k in Cambridge.
- Is Arlington or Cambridge safer?
- Arlington has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington reports 356/100k and Cambridge reports 1147/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arlington or Cambridge?
- The median home value is $839k in Arlington and $998k in Cambridge, so homes are more affordable in Arlington.