Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Fishers, IN
🏆 Fishers leads 14 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Fishers
Indiana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Fishers
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fishers, IN
Pros
Homes cost $659k less ($339,000 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1150/mo less ($1,478 vs $2,628)
83% less violent crime than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (2.5%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$5,009
$126,548 vs $121,539/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
83% lower
72.9 vs 436.7 per 100k
Fishers
Median Home Value
$659k less
$339,000 vs $997,600
Fishers
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
2.5% vs 3.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Fishers, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $339,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,478⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 | $126,548 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 2.5% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 18.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 19 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A (118) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 65.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% | 98.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Hamilton Southeastern Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer | 34.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 84.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 26.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 99,041 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 77.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Fishers's 94.6 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 14 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 9 and Fishers wins 14. 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 Cambridge to Fishers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $339,000 median home), income ($121,539 vs $126,548), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Fishers, IN are about 789 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.