Greater Boston · Town guide
Living in Cambridge, MA.
A dense, walkable city of squares and universities, with a low residential tax rate, strong demand, and some of the highest prices in Massachusetts.
Cambridge at a glance
- Median single-family
- $2,460,000
- ▲ 1.2% vs. last year
- Median condo
- $975,000
- ▼ 1.4% vs. last year
- Days on market
- 35
- single-family, year to date
- Sale vs. original list
- 102.4%
- single-family, year to date
- Residential tax rate
- $6.67
- per $1,000, FY2026
- Population
- 121,186
- 2024 Census estimate, +2.4% since 2020
- To Boston
- 2 mi
- straight line to City Hall
- MBTA rail & ferry
- Commuter rail · Subway · Light rail
Cambridge market · August 2026 year to date
The numbers, before the opinions.
| Measure | Single-family | Condo |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $2,460,000 | $975,000 |
| Change vs. last year | ▲ 1.2% | ▼ 1.4% |
| Sales closed | 87 | 384 |
| Median days on market | 35 | 48 |
| Sale price vs. original list | 102.4% | 99.9% |
| For sale at month end | 16 | 111 |
| Months of supply | 1.5 | 2.5 |
Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Cambridge Local Market Update (PDF, opens in a new tab) (MLS PIN data). Year-to-date figures except homes for sale and months of supply, which are for the latest month. A town median is a starting point; the right price is street by street.
Side by side · August 2026 year to date
How does Cambridge compare with nearby towns?
| Town | Median single-family | Median condo | Days on market | Tax rate (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | $2,460,000 ▲ 1.2% | $975,000 | 35 | $6.67 |
| Somerville | $1,375,000 ▼ 10.7% | $865,000 | 47 | $10.98 |
| Brookline | $2,525,000 ▼ 9.8% | $1,037,500 | 55 | $10.24 |
| Boston | $877,500 ▼ 3.6% | $785,000 | 43 | $12.40 |
| Medford | $900,000 ▼ 2.7% | $691,750 | 31 | $8.63 |
| Chelsea | $703,500 ▲ 11.5% | $472,500 | 29 | $11.48 |
Year-to-date medians from each town's MAR Local Market Update; tax rates per $1,000 from the Mass. Division of Local Services. Nearby = closest town centers among the towns I cover.
Town guide
What it's like to live in Cambridge.
What is it like to live in Cambridge?
Cambridge is organized around its squares, including Harvard, Central, Kendall, Porter, and Inman, each with its own mix of restaurants, shops, and transit. Harvard and MIT anchor a major research and tech economy.
It has one of the lowest residential tax rates in the state and some of the highest prices, especially for the relatively few single-family homes.
What are Cambridge's neighborhoods like?
A quick orientation, not a ranking:
| Area | What it's like | Worth a look if you want |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard Square & West Cambridge | Historic homes, university life, larger houses to the west | Classic Cambridge |
| Central & Cambridgeport | Dense, lively, near the Red Line and the river | Walkability and transit |
| Kendall & East Cambridge | Newer buildings near the tech and biotech hub | Short commutes and newer condos |
| Porter & North Cambridge | Residential, near the Red Line and commuter rail | A quieter neighborhood with transit |
| Inman & Mid-Cambridge | Restaurants and older multifamilies | Neighborhood character |
What does housing look like in Cambridge?
Cambridge is mostly condos and multifamilies, including many units carved from older two- and three-family houses. Single-family homes are scarce and expensive. Newer condo buildings cluster around Kendall and Alewife.
How is the commute from Cambridge to Boston?
Cambridge has Red Line and Green Line stations, commuter rail at Porter, and extensive bus and bike infrastructure. Many residents don't need a car. Map the commute from the specific address.
Where do people spend time in Cambridge?
- The squares: Harvard, Central, Kendall, Porter, and Inman
- The Charles River paths
- Fresh Pond Reservation
What should buyers and sellers know about Cambridge?
- Cambridge offers a residential exemption on property taxes for owner-occupants; check the city's current rules.
- Parking is limited and permit-based in most neighborhoods.
- With so many multifamily conversions, condo association documents matter for every purchase.
For public school information, see the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's school and district profiles (Cambridge Public Schools).
Questions people actually ask.
Why is Cambridge so expensive?
Limited housing, especially single-family homes, strong demand from universities and employers, and excellent transit all push prices up.
Does Cambridge have low property taxes?
Its FY2026 residential rate is among the lowest in the state, and owner-occupants may qualify for a residential exemption. Bills still depend on assessed value, which is high.
MBTA stations in Cambridge
- Commuter rail: Porter (Fitchburg Line)
- Subway: Alewife, Central, Harvard, Kendall/MIT, Porter
- Light rail: Lechmere
Monthly cost calculator
What would a Cambridge home cost per month?
Pre-filled with Cambridge's median single-family price and its FY2026 tax rate. Change anything. This is an estimate for planning, not a loan quote.
How I help in Cambridge
Three ways to start.
Buy in Cambridge
What homes here actually sell for, what they cost to own, and an offer strategy you can defend.
Buying with XavierSell in Cambridge
A price grounded in Cambridge sales, a plan for what to fix, and a clear read on every offer.
Get a home valuationInvest in Cambridge
Two- and three-families run as numbers: rents, expenses, financing, and condition.
Multifamily & investingQuick answers about Cambridge.
What is the median home price in Cambridge, MA?
The median single-family sale price in Cambridge was $2,460,000 for August 2026 year to date, compared with $2,431,500 for the same period a year earlier. The median condo sold for $975,000. Source: Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MLS PIN data).
How fast are homes selling in Cambridge?
Single-family homes that sold in Cambridge during August 2026 year to date spent a median of about 35 days on market and sold for 102.4% of their original list price on average, according to MAR.
What is the property tax rate in Cambridge, MA?
Cambridge's FY2026 residential property tax rate is $6.67 per $1,000 of assessed value (Massachusetts Division of Local Services). On a home assessed at the median single-family sale price, that's roughly $16,410 a year; your actual bill depends on the assessed value.
Is there public transit from Cambridge to Boston?
Yes. MBTA service in Cambridge: commuter rail: Porter (Fitchburg Line); subway: Alewife, Central, Harvard, Kendall/MIT, Porter; light rail: Lechmere. Check the MBTA's current schedules for times.
MLS listings
Cambridge homes for sale right now.
Active and coming-soon listings in Cambridge, through my Ruuster home search. Save a search to hear about new ones as they come on.
Search provided by Ruuster via HomeBase. Open the full Cambridge search in a new tab (opens in a new tab). Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Buying or selling here?
Interested in Cambridge?
Tell me what you're weighing: a street, a price range, a timeline. I'll send the recent sales that matter and what I'd watch for in Cambridge specifically.
More Greater Boston towns
- Boston
- Somerville
- Brookline
- Medford
- Malden
- Everett
- Revere
- Chelsea
- Melrose
- Wakefield
- Reading
- Stoneham
- Winchester
- Wilmington
- All towns
Sources: market figures, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®, Local Market Update (data: MLS PIN; © ShowingTime Plus); tax rate, Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Municipal Databank, Tax Rates by Class; population, U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates for cities and towns; stations, MBTA (V3 API); distance, OpenStreetMap Nominatim (town center); miles are straight-line to Boston City Hall. Numbers retrieved 2026-09-25.