Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Santa Clara, CA
🏆 Santa Clara leads 12 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$121,539
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Santa Clara
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Homes cost $443k less ($997,600 vs $1,440,200)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.3%)
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $213/mo less ($2,628 vs $2,841)
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $43,813/yr
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Cambridge
Households earn $43,813 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.2% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 111.6 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Cambridge
Median Home Value
$443k less
$997,600 vs $1,440,200
Cambridge
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.2% unemployment
Cambridge
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 84.7°F vs 80.8°F
Santa Clara
Median Income
$43,813
$165,352 vs $121,539/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
58% lower
182.0 vs 436.7 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,440,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,841⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 | $165,352 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 21.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A- (110) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Santa Clara Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer | 80.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 15.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 128,058 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 41.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 18.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Santa Clara's 112.9 (US average = 100).
Cambridge is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 12 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 11 and Santa Clara wins 12. 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 Santa Clara or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $1,440,200 median home), income ($121,539 vs $165,352), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Santa Clara, CA are about 2,678 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.