Rents are right about where Cambridge's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $3,438 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Cambridge usually run 3.1% below trend in January and 2.7% above it in June, about $199 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Cambridge is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Cambridge changed +3.4% over the year to September 2026. Across the 89 Massachusetts cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Cambridge rose 20.3% while median household income rose 26.8% ($103,154 to $130,748). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Cambridge is 23.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 8 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($130,748) is $3,269 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($3,254); a 2-bedroom is $3,858.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Cambridge, 02142 ($3,925/mo), costs 22% more than the cheapest, 02138 ($3,205/mo).
Everett, 4 miles away, rents for 18% less ($2,803/mo), about $7,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cambridge. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Cambridge, MA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 80.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cambridge, MA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Cambridge, MA has climbed from $2,550 to $3,438, a 34.8% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $112,565 to $130,748 across the same window, up 16.2% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.6% since 2021, moving from about 116,892 residents to roughly 118,796. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Cambridge, MA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Cambridge
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Can you afford rent in Cambridge on your salary?
At $3,438/mo, how Cambridge rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cambridge rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cambridge. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cambridge
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Cambridge is $3,438/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $3,080/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $3,858/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,254/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $4,646/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($130,748/yr), Cambridge ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cambridge?
At $3,438/mo, rent takes ~32% of Cambridge's median household income ($130,748/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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