Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Suffolk leads 13 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758
Violent Crime Index
98 ✓ Safer
Population
94,856
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
Households earn $33,781 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (3.3%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
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 14% higher than Suffolk
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $683k less ($314,400 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1252/mo less ($1,376 vs $2,628)
15% less violent crime than Cambridge
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 37°F
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $33,781/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 3.3%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$33,781
$121,539 vs $87,758/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
3.3% vs 6.3% unemployment
Suffolk
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Violent Crime
15% lower
371.0 vs 436.7 per 100k
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$683k less
$314,400 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $87,758 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 5.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Suffolk leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 10 and Suffolk 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 Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $314,400 median home), income ($121,539 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Suffolk, VA are about 490 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.