Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Huntington Beach, CA
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Huntington Beach
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
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
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.3%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Households earn $6,792 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Cons
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 37°F
Rent averages $310/mo less ($2,318 vs $2,628)
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 85°F
Homes cost $21k less ($976,800 vs $997,600)
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 3.3%)
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Median income trails Cambridge by $6,792/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 111.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cambridge
Median Income
$6,792
$121,539 vs $114,747/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.4% unemployment
Cambridge
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 84.7°F vs 78.9°F
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
53% lower
207.3 vs 436.7 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Median Home Value
$21k less
$976,800 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Huntington Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $976,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $2,318⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $114,747 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 16.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 71 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 46.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 93.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Huntington Beach City Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 78.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 11.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 197,481 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 43.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 17.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Huntington Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cambridge is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 10 and Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $976,800 median home), income ($121,539 vs $114,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Huntington Beach, CA are about 2,587 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.