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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Cambridge, MA

Population: 117,962 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

C
56/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$15.4B
Per Capita
$130,737
Total Revenue
$5.1B
Total Debt
$49.6M

Spending Breakdown

General Administration
58.5%$9.0B
Education
19.6%$3.0B
Other
11.0%$1.7B
Housing & Community Development
3.6%$556.2M
Utilities
1.8%$270.3M
Parks & Recreation
1.7%$257.1M
Sewerage
1.3%$202.7M
Health
0.8%$117.8M
Public Welfare
0.6%$87.0M
Fire Protection
0.5%$79.2M
Hospitals
0.4%$59.9M
Highways & Roads
0.4%$55.1M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
2.6%$132.2M
Intergovernmental
16.4%$839.5M
Charges & Fees
3.6%$187.0M
Other
14.7%$751.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$672/person
Highways & Roads$467/person
Parks & Recreation$2,179/person
Education$25,601/person
Health$998/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)24/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$49.6M
Long-Term Debt$432.9M
Debt Per Capita$420
Cash & Securities$226.9M

Compare Cities

See how Cambridge stacks up against another city.

vs Boston, MAvs Worcester, MAvs Springfield, MA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Massachusetts

Boston, MA

Pop. 666K

C
Total Spending
$48.1B
Per Capita
$72,299

Worcester, MA

Pop. 204K

C
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$42,049

Springfield, MA

Pop. 155K

D
Total Spending
$10.2B
Per Capita
$65,626

Lowell, MA

Pop. 115K

C
Total Spending
$5.6B
Per Capita
$48,457

Compare Cambridge With

Boston, MA

Spending: $72,299/person · Grade: C

Worcester, MA

Spending: $42,049/person · Grade: C

Springfield, MA

Spending: $65,626/person · Grade: D

Lowell, MA

Spending: $48,457/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge, MA spends $130,737 per resident, based on total expenditures of $15.4B for a population of 117,962. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100).

Cambridge, MA has total expenditures of $15.4B and total revenue of $5.1B. The city carries $49.6M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Cambridge, MA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Cambridge, MA has a Fiscal Health Score of C (56/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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