Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Cambridge leads 13 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962
Houston
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $61,099 more per year on average
62% less violent crime than Houston
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (3.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 93°F
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)
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $763k less ($235,000 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1393/mo less ($1,235 vs $2,628)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 37°F
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $61,099/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$61,099
$121,539 vs $60,440/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
62% lower
436.7 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
3.3% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$763k less
$235,000 vs $997,600
Houston
Summer Heat
8.5°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 27.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 35.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 55.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 33.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 42.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Houston is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cambridge leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 13 and Houston 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 Cambridge to Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $235,000 median home), income ($121,539 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Houston, TX are about 1,601 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.