Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Omaha, NE
🏆 Omaha leads 14 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Omaha
Nebraska
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,202
Violent Crime Index
97 ✓ Safer
Population
489,201 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $51,337 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 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
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Omaha
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Omaha, NE
Pros
Homes cost $787k less ($210,300 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1529/mo less ($1,099 vs $2,628)
16% less violent crime than Cambridge
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $51,337/yr
Property crime (3161.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.2% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$51,337
$121,539 vs $70,202/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.2% unemployment
Omaha
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Omaha
Violent Crime
16% lower
369.0 vs 436.7 per 100k
Omaha
Median Home Value
$787k less
$210,300 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Omaha, NE |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $210,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,099 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $70,202 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 118⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 90.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 85.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 33.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 27.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 489,201 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 35.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 57.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Omaha's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Omaha is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Omaha leads 14 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 9 and Omaha 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 Omaha or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $210,300 median home), income ($121,539 vs $70,202), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Omaha, NE are about 1,282 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.