ZIP 02138
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Rent by unit size
Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in ZIP 02138 usually run 3.1% below trend in January and 2.3% above it in July, about $173 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 02138 is 0.7% below its high of $3,226 in June 2026, at $3,205 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 02138 changed +0.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 02138 rose 22.9% while median household income rose 14.2% ($105,065 to $119,967). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 02138 is 24.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($119,967) is $2,999 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($3,390).
1st cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Cambridge.
ZIP 02474, 3 miles away, rents for 17% less ($2,676/mo), about $6,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 02138. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 02138 (Cambridge, MA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 85.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 02138 in Cambridge, MA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 02138 in Cambridge, MA has climbed from $2,405 to $3,205, a 33.3% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $108,692 in 2021 to $119,967 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has contracted by 2.2% since 2021, moving from about 39,370 residents to roughly 38,509. Renters now make up 58.1% of households, compared with 63.1% five years ago. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 02138 in Cambridge, MA market of 2021.
Discussions about ZIP 02138
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Tips for renters in ZIP 02138
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 02138 covers Cambridge, MA. The median rent here is $3,205/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,618/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,110/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($119,967/yr), ZIP 02138 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 02138?
Is rent going up or down in ZIP 02138?
When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 02138?
Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 02138?
How does ZIP 02138 compare to other ZIPs in Massachusetts?
How does ZIP 02138 compare to the rest of Cambridge?
At $3,205/mo, rent takes ~32% of ZIP 02138's median household income ($119,967/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Be the first to submit your rent for this ZIP.
No discussions yet.