| Measure | CambridgeMassachusetts, United States Remove Cambridge | Albany (NY)New York, United States Remove Albany (NY) |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.9 | 6.5 |
| Connector Score | 8.4 | 7.8 |
| Safety | 8.1 | 3.6 |
| Affordability | 1.7 | 6.7 |
| Transportation | 8.5 | 9.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 6.0 | 7.5 |
| Walkability | 5.5 | 7.8 |
| Things to do | 6.0 | 6.2 |
| Food & dining | 5.7 | 5.9 |
| Places to stay | 6.0 | 5.7 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.5 | 5.8 |
| Family friendliness | 7.1 | 4.7 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.6 | 5.8 |
| Nightlife | 4.7 | 7.5 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.3 | 5.6 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.8 | 8.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $193 | $137 |
| Mid-range | $283 | $198 |
| Luxury | $492 | $325 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 158 | 98 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $3,200 | $1,400 |
| Median home price | $1,100,000 | $234,700 |
| Population | 123K | 102K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Cambridge | — | 3 h 13 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | History | Car-free travel, Nightlife |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Family & kids | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: September to October and May to June | Peak: During legislative session weekdays, fa… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.