Cambridge receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chelsea
Cambridge
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 40%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 1%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
35 · Bottom 3%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Chelsea | Cambridge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,908 | 118,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,179 | $130,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,986 | $78,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 17,985/sq mi | 18,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $493,500 | $1,092,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,956 | $2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 26.0% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 80 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 15.9% | 361.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 3 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.18 | 9.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.7% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.8% | 54.6% | 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
Chelsea
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Chelsea, MA · Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology