Apartments for Rent in Cambridge, MA

Renter's guide to Cambridge, MA

Cambridge is home to two of the world’s most prestigious universities: Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). These two schools along with their students and staff fill this town that lies just north of Boston. Cambridge’s name is fitting, since its origins come from a prominent university in the UK based in Puritan theology. This city carries a small town flair that is both unique and appealing.

Cambridge is the fifth most populated city in Massachusetts. Some refer to Cambridge as, the “City of Squares,” due to the sheer number square-shaped neighborhoods and communities. The city is a quick 15-minute drive from Boston, an hour-and-a-half from Concord, New Hampshire, and three-and-a-half hours from New York City. If you don’t like the cold, Cambridge might not be the best place for you. The area experiences very cold winters, with most winter days at or below freezing. Summers are humid and warm, not usually getting much hotter than 80°F but with a high level of humidity.

Cambridge is ranked number one by Sperling’s Best Places for “Most Competitive Private Colleges,” which makes sense due to Harvard and MIT being located in Cambridge. Sperling also ranked Cambridge as the number one “Safest City for Families with Young Children”.

Tips for renting in Cambridge, MA

Things to do in Cambridge, MA

Cambridge is a city full of culture and class, and you’ll easily find places to visit, especially if you love early American history—it’s saturated with it. One of the most popular places to check out are the campuses of Harvard University and MIT. The grounds are spacious and beautiful, filled with grand old buildings and vast lawns. In addition, you can go to Harvard Square, which has been around since 1630. It’s a gathering place near campus with cafes, bars, and bookstores.

If museums are your cup of tea, you’re going to love the findings in Cambridge. Though a smaller-sized city, Cambridge has a fair number of incredible museums, including Harvard Museum of Natural History, Fogg Museum, MIT Museum, Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Semitic Museum, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology. You can also see Longfellow House Washington’s Headquarters, which is a National Historic site. Finally, the Cambridge Public Library is one of the most beautiful libraries you’ll ever see, with a large modern building completed in 2009 that connects to the original part of the library built in 1888.

If you like to get outside, you can walk or bike around Cambridge Common. The Charles River is a great place to sail in the warmer months. You could also take a walk or drive during the fall and enjoy the stunning autumn leaves. Mount Auburn Cemetery is a cool historic place to visit-- you can even search for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s gravestone.

Cambridge, MA employment & economy

Today, the biggest employers in Cambridge are educational institutions, but this was a center of commerce and manufacturing at the start of the 20th century. Harvard employs more than 10,000 Cambridge residents and MIT employs another 8,000. Other main employers include the city of Cambridge, Mount Auburn Hospital, and Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. The city’s brilliance is noted throughout the world, as 129 of 780 Nobel Prize winners have been affiliated with universities in Cambridge at some point during their careers.

Education in Cambridge, MA

If you’re looking for some of the best education in the country, Cambridge is a great spot. As noted, both Harvard and MIT call Cambridge home, along with Cambridge College, Lesley University, Hult International Business School, Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, Longy School of Music and Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Boston. There are a number of highly ranked private and public schools in Cambridge for elementary and secondary education.