Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cambridge, MA vs Worcester, 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 Cambridge needs about $62,000 in Worcester to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Worcester, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $108,000 in Cambridge.
A few differences
- Cambridge is higher on median household income ($130,748 vs $70,102).
- Worcester is lower on cost of living index (109 vs 170).
- Worcester is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,559/mo vs $3,036/mo).
Cambridge vs Worcester · facet by facet
| Facet | Cambridge, MA | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,092,100 | $374,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,036/mo | $1,559/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 170 | 109 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $130,748 | $70,102 |
| 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: Cambridge, MA · Worcester, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Cambridge cheaper than Worcester?
- Worcester has the lower day-to-day cost index (109 vs 170 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Worcester equals $85,000 in Cambridge?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cambridge needs about $62,000 in Worcester to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Worcester lifestyle costs about $108,000 in Cambridge.