Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Cambridge, MA
🏆 Beaverton leads 13 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$88,899
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
97,554
Cambridge
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
Homes cost $503k less ($494,700 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $965/mo less ($1,663 vs $2,628)
16% less violent crime than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 37°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $32,640/yr
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $32,640 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Beaverton
Violent Crime
16% lower
364.8 vs 436.7 per 100k
Beaverton
Median Home Value
$503k less
$494,700 vs $997,600
Cambridge
Median Income
$32,640
$121,539 vs $88,899/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.3% vs 3.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Cambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $997,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,628⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 | $121,539 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% | 25.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% | 95.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | Cambridge |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" ✓ Less | 49.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 117,962 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 ✓ Older | 30.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 12.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% ✓ More | 11.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Cambridge's 111.6 (US average = 100).
Beaverton is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Beaverton leads 13 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 13 and Cambridge wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Beaverton to Cambridge or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $997,600 median home), income ($88,899 vs $121,539), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Cambridge, MA are about 2,537 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.