Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Peoria, IL
🏆 Cambridge leads 12 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Peoria
Illinois
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,068
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
113,054
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $63,471 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Peoria
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 pts lower (3.3%)
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 23% higher than Peoria
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Peoria, IL
Pros
Homes cost $851k less ($146,700 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1711/mo less ($917 vs $2,628)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.6)
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $63,471/yr
Violent crime (1344.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4284.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$63,471
$121,539 vs $58,068/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
68% lower
436.7 vs 1344.9 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
3.3% vs 8.0% unemployment
Peoria
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 88.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Peoria
Median Home Value
$851k less
$146,700 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Peoria, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 88.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $146,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $58,068 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 8.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 354⚠ 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+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Peoria SD 150 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F ✓ Warmer | 33.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 86.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 39.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 26.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 113,054 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 16.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Peoria's 88.6 (US average = 100).
Peoria is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cambridge leads 12 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 12 and Peoria wins 11. 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 Peoria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $146,700 median home), income ($121,539 vs $58,068), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Peoria, IL are about 961 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.