Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Santa Clarita, CA
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 14 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Santa Clarita
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850 ✓ 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 2.2 pts lower (3.3%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Households earn $5,353 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
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)
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
62% less violent crime than Cambridge
Homes cost $328k less ($669,200 vs $997,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 37°F
Rent averages $313/mo less ($2,315 vs $2,628)
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.3%)
Longer commutes — 35.2 min average each way
Median income trails Cambridge by $5,353/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
$5,353
$121,539 vs $116,186/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
62% lower
165.4 vs 436.7 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Median Home Value
$328k less
$669,200 vs $997,600
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
9.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Santa Clarita, 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 | $669,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $2,315⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $116,186 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 35.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 44 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 56 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 26.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 38.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Saugus Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" | 15.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 225,850 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 37.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Santa Clarita's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cambridge is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clarita leads 14 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 9 and Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $669,200 median home), income ($121,539 vs $116,186), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Santa Clarita, CA are about 2,589 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.