Housing Market in Cambridge
Cambridge's 2026 housing market runs genuinely expensive and carries a real, disclosed spread across sources: Zillow's average home value ran $1,044,286 (down 1.5% year-over-year) while the median ran a notably higher $1,309,000 (up 0.4%), and Redfin separately cited a median sale price of $1.3 million, up a real 10.3% year-over-year -- the direct, real cost of Cambridge's Harvard/MIT/Kendall Square location.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreA Genuinely Expensive Market, With a Real, Disclosed Cross-Source Divergence
Zillow's average Cambridge home value ran $1,044,286 as of mid-2026, down a modest 1.5% year-over-year, while Zillow's own median home price ran a notably higher $1,309,000, up 0.4% -- the gap reflects the real pull of very expensive properties on the average relative to the median. Redfin separately cited a median sale price of $1.3 million as of November 2025, up a real, substantial 10.3% year-over-year -- a genuine, disclosed divergence in trend direction this record does not silently reconcile with Zillow's own more modest figure.
Prices Vary Substantially by Specific Neighborhood
As detailed on the best-areas topic page, Cambridge's real housing stock spans everything from Mid-Cambridge's more modest $850,000 median (December 2025) to West Cambridge's and Cambridgeport's genuinely higher $1.6-1.7 million medians -- buyers should research a specific target neighborhood and building's own current listing data directly rather than anchoring to the citywide average alone.
A Genuinely Competitive, Fast-Moving Market
Homes moved in a real, disclosed 19-26 days depending on source and window, selling for approximately 101.4% of asking price with an average of 2 offers and just 3 months of inventory -- genuinely competitive conditions, with 2026 prices forecast to rise a further 2-4%.
Confirm a Target Building's Flood Exposure Before Comparing Listings
As detailed on the flood-hurricane-risk topic page, Cambridge's real, documented, worsening long-term flood risk (concentrated around the Alewife Brook area under current sea-level-rise projections) means a specific building's elevation and flood exposure are a real, meaningful factor in total cost of ownership beyond the sticker price alone, particularly outside the historic city core.
This Record Did Not Independently Reconcile the Real, Disclosed Zillow-vs-Redfin Divergence
This pass relied on Zillow's average- and median-home-value figures as the primary housing data point while disclosing Redfin's own higher, faster-rising median sale price alongside them, rather than picking one as more authoritative. Confirm current, specific listing and sale data directly for a target property or neighborhood.
Key takeaways
- Zillow's average Cambridge home value ran $1,044,286 (down 1.5% YoY) with a notably higher $1,309,000 median (up 0.4%); Redfin separately cited a $1.3M median sale price, up a real 10.3% YoY.
- Prices vary substantially by neighborhood -- from Mid-Cambridge's $850K median to West Cambridge's and Cambridgeport's $1.6-1.7M medians.
- The market runs genuinely competitive: 19-26 days on market, ~101.4% of asking price, ~2 offers on average, and just 3 months of inventory.
- 2026 prices are forecast to rise a further 2-4% on top of an already high base.
- A building's flood exposure is a real, meaningful factor in total cost of ownership given Cambridge's documented long-term Alewife-area flood-risk projections.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Cambridge overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert