What it's like to live in Cambridge
Cambridge is a small city in Maryland with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cambridge deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Cambridge compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cambridge
Based on Cambridge's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,116
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,320 a year
- 58% of Cambridge renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,580
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,790
- Homes cost 5.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,058/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,058 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $257,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $257,900 · 58% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dorchester County is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Dorchester County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 48% above US
489 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 3675/100k · Cambridge Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (8 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cambridge's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,058/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Cambridge
All Maryland guides →Moving to Lexington Park →
29 mi away · pop. 13,252
Rent $1,755/mo · Income $94,799
Compare with Cambridge →Moving to Salisbury →
29 mi away · pop. 33,285
Rent $1,318/mo · Income $58,576
Compare with Cambridge →Not sure Cambridge is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.