Residential comparison · 13 facts
Belmont, MA vs Cambridge, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Belmont needs about $91,500 in Cambridge to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Cambridge, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $78,500 in Belmont.
A few differences
- Belmont is higher on median household income ($183,137 vs $130,748).
- Belmont is lower on cost of living index (166 vs 170).
- Belmont is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,512/mo vs $3,036/mo).
Belmont vs Cambridge · facet by facet
| Facet | Belmont, MA | Cambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,159,000 | $1,092,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,512/mo | $3,036/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 166 | 170 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $183,137 | $130,748 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Belmont, MA · Cambridge, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Belmont cheaper than Cambridge?
- Belmont has the lower day-to-day cost index (166 vs 170 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Cambridge equals $85,000 in Belmont?
- A household earning $85,000 in Belmont needs about $91,500 in Cambridge to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Cambridge lifestyle costs about $78,500 in Belmont.