Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 13 of 21 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Savannah
Georgia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $66,791 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (3.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 92°F
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 16% higher than Savannah
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $794k less ($203,300 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1412/mo less ($1,216 vs $2,628)
95% less violent crime than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 37°F
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $66,791/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$66,791
$121,539 vs $54,748/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
95% lower
20.3 vs 436.7 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$794k less
$203,300 vs $997,600
Savannah
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 147,583 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 33.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 45.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Savannah leads 13 of 21 categories. Cambridge wins 8 and Savannah 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $203,300 median home), income ($121,539 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Savannah, GA are about 904 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.