Signals
Cambridge
Brookline
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 5%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs92 · Top 2%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Cambridge | Brookline | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 118,796 | 63,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,748 | $142,101 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $78,723 | $96,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 18,571/sq mi | 9,362/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,092,100 | $1,246,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,787 | $2,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 33.5% | 46.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 80.8% | 85.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 8.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.4 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.92 | 13.03 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.5% | 64.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.6% | 71.4% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Brookline
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Cambridge, MA · Brookline, MA · How this is calculated: methodology