Cambridge, MA vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cambridge, MA outspends Boston, MA by a wide margin per resident — $130,737 versus $72,299, a 81% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
On the CitySpend Fiscal Health Score the two are level: Cambridge, MA and Boston, MA both land at 56/100 (grade C and C respectively), so the deciding factors sit in the underlying six-factor breakdown rather than the rolled-up grade.
On debt, Cambridge, MA carries the lighter load at $420 per resident versus $445 for Boston, MA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Cambridge, MA at $25,601 per resident and in Boston, MA at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 16% of total revenue in Cambridge, MA and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Cambridge spends 80.8% more per capita than Boston ($58,438/person difference). Both cities share the same Fiscal Health Score.
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,121 | $78 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,117 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,585 | $2,784 |
| Other | $6,370 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $672 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $467 | $594 |
| Education | $25,601 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $737 | $1,110 |
| Health | $998 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $508 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,179 | $711 |
| Housing | $4,715 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $1,718 | $355 |
| Utilities | $2,291 | $3,402 |
| General Admin | $76,486 | $5,401 |
| Other | $14,364 | $18,955 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.