Cambridge, MA

Census Place

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2023 Population

117,794

0.142% 1-year decline

US Senator

N/AElizabeth Warren

Democratic Party

US Senator

N/AEd Markey

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

30.5

0.327% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

12.4%

2.56% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$126,469

4.06% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$1.04M

4.3% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

70,405

0.712% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Cambridge, MA had a population of 118k people with a median age of 30.5 and a median household income of $126,469. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Cambridge, MA declined from 117,962 to 117,794, a −0.142% decrease and its median household income grew from $121,539 to $126,469, a 4.06% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Cambridge, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (55%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (19.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.4%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (4.2%).

None of the households in Cambridge, MA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

82.8% of the residents in Cambridge, MA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Cambridge, MA was $1.04M, and the homeownership rate was 33.7%.

Most people in Cambridge, MA worked at home, and the average commute time was 26.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Cambridge, MA was 1 car per household.

Photo by Almond Butterscotch

Population & Diversity

Cambridge, MA is home to a population of 118k people, from which 82.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 28.8% of Cambridge, MA residents were born outside of the country (33.9k people).

In 2023, there were 2.81 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (64.8k people) in Cambridge, MA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 23k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 12.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

82.8%

2023 Citizenship

82.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 82.8% of Cambridge, MA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Cambridge, MA was 82.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Cambridge, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cambridge, MA

White (Non-Hispanic)
64.8k ± 1.6k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
23k ± 1.3k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
12.1k ± 1.28k

8.95%

Hispanic Population

10.5k people

8.95% of the people in Cambridge, MA are hispanic (10.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Cambridge, MA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Massachusetts.

Most Common Origin

China
102,973 ± 7,820 people
Dominican Republic
99,956 ± 7,706 people
Brazil
93,519 ± 7,457 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Massachusetts was China, the natal country of 102,973 Massachusetts residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 99,956 and Brazil with 93,519.

Foreign-Born Population

28.8%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

33.9k people

29.4%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

34.7k people

As of 2023, 28.8% of Cambridge, MA residents (33.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cambridge, MA was 29.4%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Cambridge, MA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
530 ± 143
Vietnam
510 ± 127
Korea
159 ± 141

Cambridge, MA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.04 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Cambridge, MA employs 70.4k people. The largest industries in Cambridge, MA are Educational Services (19,306 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,420 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (8,421 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($128,281), Information ($124,006), and Utilities ($119,091).

Males in Massachusetts have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $81,902. The income inequality in Massachusetts (measured using the Gini index) is 0.48, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

70.4k

2023 Value

± 1,932

−0.712%

1 Year decline

± 3.87%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Cambridge, MA declined at a rate of −0.712%, from 70.9k employees to 70.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cambridge, MA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (11,658 people), Management Occupations (8,878 people), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (8,082 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cambridge, MA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Massachusetts (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

70.4k

2023 Value

± 1,932

−0.712%

1 Year decline

± 3.87%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Cambridge, MA declined at a rate of −0.712%, from 70.9k employees to 70.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cambridge, MA, are Educational Services (19,306 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (16,420 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (8,421 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cambridge, MA, though some of these residents may live in Cambridge, MA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$84,078

Median earning men ± $2,429

$66,343

Median earning women ± $2,847

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($147,371), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($125,398), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($123,417).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($114,777), Construction ($98,049), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($93,554).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for N/A.

Y-Axis

N/A%

Year-over-year N/A

Employment change between N/A N/A and N/A N/A

As of N/A N/A, there are N/A people employed in N/A. This represents a N/A% N/A in employment when compared to N/A N/A.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during N/A, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall N/A in employment by N/A%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in N/A.

Civics

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing the state of Massachusetts. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Massachusetts

N/AElizabeth Warren

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

N/AEd Markey

Senator from Massachusetts

Assumed office on July 16, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Mo Cowan, who had been appointed to the seat following the resignation of John Kerry, who had become Secretary of State.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are the senators currently representing Massachusetts.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Massachusetts over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Massachusetts

Massachusetts is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Massachusetts have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Measure

In 2022, 1.17% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.24% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Massachusetts.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Bachelors Degree (1.35M), High School or Equivalent (1.34M), and Graduate Degree (1.03M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cambridge, MA was $1.04M in 2023, which is 3.43 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $997,600 to $1.04M, a 4.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Cambridge, MA is 33.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Cambridge, MA have an average commute time of 26.1 minutes, and they worked at home. Car ownership in Cambridge, MA is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Median household income in Cambridge, MA is $126,469. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Cambridge, MA was Census Tract 3542 with a value of $205,441, followed by Census Tract 3545 and Census Tract 3523, with respective values of $203,906 and $174,310.

Housing

Property

$1.04M

Median Property Value 2023

±$35,014

$16,718

Median Property Taxes

±$842

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Cambridge, MA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Cambridge, MA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

33.7%

Homeownership

2023

65.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 33.7% of the housing units in Cambridge, MA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 33.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cambridge, MA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 3542
Census Tract 3545
Census Tract 3523

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Cambridge, MA was Census Tract 3542 with a value of $205,441, followed by Census Tract 3545 and Census Tract 3523, with respective values of $203,906 and $174,310.

The following map shows all of the places in Cambridge, MA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$126,469

Median Household Income

± $4,633

49.6k

Number of Households

± 1,483

In 2023, the median household income of the 49.6k households in Cambridge, MA grew to $126,469 from the previous year's value of $121,539.

The following chart displays the households in Cambridge, MA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Cambridge, MA is from Massachusetts.

0.48

2022 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

0.48

2021 Wage GINI in Massachusetts

In 2022, the income inequality in Massachusetts was 0.48 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.047% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Massachusetts was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Massachusetts in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Massachusetts across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Worked At Home (28.3%)
Drove Alone (20.9%)
Public Transit (19.4%)

In 2023, 28.3% of workers in Cambridge, MA worked at home, followed by those who drove alone to work (20.9%) and those who used public transit to get to work (19.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

26.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cambridge, MA have a shorter commute time (26.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.28% of the workforce in Cambridge, MA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cambridge, MA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cambridge, MA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cambridge, MA have 1 car.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cambridge, MA (12.8k out of 103k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Cambridge, MA is White, followed by Black and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

98.2% of the population of Cambridge, MA has health coverage, with 66.3% on employee plans, 9.15% on Medicaid, 8.07% on Medicare, 14.5% on non-group plans, and 0.231% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Middlesex County, MA see 779 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.384% decrease from the previous year (782 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 966 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 152 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Middlesex County, MA.

779 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Middlesex County, MA

Primary care physicians in Middlesex County, MA see an average of 779 patients per year. This represents a 0.384% decrease from the previous year (782 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Middlesex County, MA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 14.6% under 18 years, 44.9% between 18 and 34 years, 28.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

1.79%

Uninsured

66.3%

Employer Coverage

9.15%

Medicaid

8.07%

Medicare

14.5%

Non-Group

0.231%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cambridge, MA declined by 11% from 2.01% to 1.79%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cambridge, MA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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