How long is the commute from Cambridge, MA?
Workers who live in Cambridge, MA take an average of 25.8 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
19.7% of workers drive alone to work.
18.0% take public transportation.
19.2% of workers walk to work.
30.8% work from home.
33.2% of households have no vehicle.
Figures last updated on .
- Average commute
- 25.8 minutes (±0.7)
- Public transportation
- 18.0%
- Work from home
- 30.8%
- Households without a car
- 33.2%
How people in Cambridge get to work
| Means of transportation | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 19.7% (±1.2 points) | 54.2% | 61.2% | 68.8% |
| Carpooled | 2.5% (±0.4 points) | 6.3% | 7.0% | 8.5% |
| Public transportation | 18.0% (±1.1 points) | 7.2% | 6.5% | 3.2% |
| Walked | 19.2% (±1.0 points) | 4.2% | 4.1% | 2.4% |
| Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle) | 9.8% (±0.9 points) | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.0% |
| Worked from home | 30.8% (±1.4 points) | 24.7% | 18.6% | 15.1% |
In Cambridge, the average commute is lower than in Middlesex County (29.9 minutes).
It is also lower than in Massachusetts (29.1 minutes).
It is not measurably different from the national figure (26.4 minutes).
In Cambridge, the share commuting by public transportation is higher than in Middlesex County (7.2%).
It is also higher than in Massachusetts (6.5%).
It is higher than the national figure (3.2%).
In Middlesex County, Cambridge ranks 49 of 54 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.
Statewide, it ranks 273 of 351.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
Cars per household in Cambridge
| Vehicles available | Cambridge | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No vehicle | 33.2% (±1.5 points) | 10.3% | 11.7% | 8.4% |
| 1 vehicle | 49.4% (±1.5 points) | 36.8% | 36.1% | 33.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 14.4% (±1.1 points) | 37.7% | 35.7% | 36.6% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 3.1% (±0.7 points) | 15.2% | 16.5% | 21.9% |
In Cambridge, the share of households without a vehicle is higher than in Middlesex County (10.3%).
It is also higher than in Massachusetts (11.7%).
It is higher than the national figure (8.4%).
Working from home and internet access in Cambridge
| Cambridge | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workers working from home | 30.8% (±1.4 points) | 24.7% (±0.4 points) | 18.6% (±0.2 points) | 15.1% |
| Households with a computer | 98.5% (±0.4 points) | 97.0% (±0.2 points) | 95.7% (±0.1 points) | 95.5% |
| Households with broadband internet | 94.8% (±0.8 points) | 94.7% (±0.3 points) | 92.8% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
In Cambridge, the share of households with a broadband subscription is not measurably different from Middlesex County (94.7%).
It is also higher than in Massachusetts (92.8%).
It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).
Average commute in places near Cambridge
| Place | Distance | Average commute | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | — | 25.8 minutes (±0.7) | — |
| Somerville | 1.3 mi | 31.0 minutes (±0.8) | Higher |
| Watertown | 3.1 mi | 27.6 minutes (±1.2) | Higher |
| Medford | 3.3 mi | 30.2 minutes (±1.1) | Higher |
| Belmont (community) | 3.4 mi | 29.3 minutes (±0.9) | Higher |
| Belmont | 3.4 mi | 29.3 minutes (±0.9) | Higher |
| Arlington (community) | 3.7 mi | 32.2 minutes (±1.3) | Higher |
| Arlington | 3.7 mi | 32.2 minutes (±1.3) | Higher |
| Brookline (community) | 3.8 mi | 27.1 minutes (±0.7) | Higher |
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Somerville, MA (31.0 minutes), Watertown, MA (27.6 minutes), Medford, MA (30.2 minutes).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Average commute across Middlesex County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Average commute |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Stoneham | 27.8 minutes (±1.6) |
| 44 | Watertown | 27.6 minutes (±1.2) |
| 45 | Burlington | 27.5 minutes (±2.3) |
| 46 | Weston | 26.8 minutes (±2.1) |
| 47 | Billerica | 26.7 minutes (±1.2) |
| 48 | Newton | 26.6 minutes (±0.9) |
| 49 (tie) | Cambridge | 25.8 minutes (±0.7) |
| 49 (tie) | Bedford | 25.8 minutes (±2.5) |
| 49 (tie) | Lincoln | 25.8 minutes (±3.7) |
| 52 | Woburn | 25.3 minutes (±1.2) |
| 53 | Waltham | 24.7 minutes (±0.9) |
| 54 | Tyngsborough | 24.1 minutes (±2.3) |
Showing 12 of 54 places in Middlesex County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Cambridge
How long is the average commute in Cambridge?
Workers who live in Cambridge, MA take an average of 25.8 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Can you live in Cambridge without a car?
33.2% of households in Cambridge have no vehicle, and 18.0% of workers commute by public transportation.
How many people work from home in Cambridge?
30.8% (±1.4 points) of workers who live in Cambridge worked from home, and 94.8% of households have a broadband subscription.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Cambridge city, Massachusetts
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Cambridge city, Massachusetts
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Cambridge city, Massachusetts
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Cambridge city, Massachusetts (place:11000, in state:25).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
- Housing in Cambridge at a glance
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- Rent burden in Cambridge
- Renters and owners in Cambridge
- Income and affordability in Cambridge
- Home values in Cambridge
- Homeowner costs in Cambridge
- Property taxes in Cambridge
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- Crime reported to police in Cambridge
- Population growth in Cambridge
- How long people stay in Cambridge
- Crowding and facilities in Cambridge
- Local landlord and tenant rules in Cambridge
- Massachusetts landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Middlesex County
- Massachusetts places ranked by commute time
- Housing data for every place in Massachusetts