Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Gresham, OR
🏆 Gresham leads 13 of 23 categories
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
Gresham
Oregon
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,437
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
113,525
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $52,102 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 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)
Gresham, OR
Pros
Homes cost $586k less ($411,700 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1176/mo less ($1,452 vs $2,628)
6% less violent crime than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 37°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $52,102/yr
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$52,102
$121,539 vs $69,437/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Cambridge
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 84.7°F vs 81.6°F
Gresham
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Gresham
Violent Crime
6% lower
410.2 vs 436.7 per 100k
Gresham
Median Home Value
$586k less
$411,700 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Gresham, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $411,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,452⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $69,437 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 27.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 10.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 116⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 23.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 87.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Gresham-Barlow SD 10J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 46.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 81.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 40.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 113,525 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 55.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Gresham's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Gresham is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Gresham leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 10 and Gresham wins 13. 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 Gresham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $411,700 median home), income ($121,539 vs $69,437), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Gresham, OR are about 2,519 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.