Belmont vs Cambridge
You are paying about $200k more for a 4BR in Belmont, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $200k for one tier of schooling.
Cambridge is about 19 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Cambridge works out roughly $10,600 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Belmont if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Belmont numbers →Choose Cambridge if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Cambridge numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Belmont | Cambridge | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS percentile | 93rd | 79th |
| Niche district rank | 6th of 236 | 19th of 236 |
| 4BR house | $1.9MT4 | $1.7MT4 |
| 2BR condo | $925k | $925k |
| Commute to Boston | 33 minT2 | 14 minT1 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~21 min to terminal | Rapid transit (T) · ~6 min to downtown |
| Tax rate | $11.51T2 | $6.67T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$21,900 | ≈$11,300 |
| 3BR rent | $3,647/mo | $4,790/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
