The short version is this. A two bedroom in Cambridge rents for a median of $3,850 and the typical rental leases in about 23 days, based on 1,019 rentals that closed in the six months ending 30 September 2026. Plan on about $8,650 in cash to move into a two bedroom. 68 percent of rentals in the last six months went at or above the original asking price.
Cambridge isn't one rental market. By neighborhood, the median rental runs from $3,200 in Mid Cambridge to $4,050 in Kendall Square, and the neighborhood table below is the part of this page you won't find anywhere else. I pulled every closed rental in the MLS for the last two years and ran the numbers myself, and it gets updated every month. The other towns I cover are at the markets page, and the sales side of this town is in my Cambridge home sales report.
These are rented prices, not asking prices. What tenants signed for, not what landlords hoped for. Three windows because the short one is current and the long one is stable. Anything with fewer than ten rentals behind it I leave out rather than pretend it means something.
| Bedrooms | Last 3 months | Last 6 months | Last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,375 (31) | $2,500 (70) | $2,450 (105) |
| 1 bedroom | $2,950 (172) | $3,000 (332) | $3,000 (459) |
| 2 bedroom | $3,850 (169) | $3,850 (369) | $3,800 (566) |
| 3 bedroom | $4,500 (90) | $4,650 (175) | $4,600 (254) |
| 4 bedroom | $5,725 (34) | $6,250 (60) | $6,000 (83) |
| 5+ bedroom | too few | $10,000 (13) | $9,750 (18) |
| All rentals | $3,500 (505) | $3,500 (1,019) | $3,500 (1,485) |
Medians. Number of closed rentals in parentheses. Windows end 30 September 2026. The biggest single step in Cambridge is from a 4 bedroom to a 5+ bedroom, $3,750 a month over the last twelve months.
| Zip | Area | Rentals | Median, all sizes | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | Days to rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02138 | Harvard Square, West and Mid Cambridge | 482 | $3,350 | $3,000 (156) | $3,800 (189) | $5,400 (56) | 31 |
| 02140 | Porter Square and North Cambridge | 202 | $3,438 | $2,750 (52) | $3,600 (86) | $4,400 (35) | 24 |
| 02139 | Central Square, Cambridgeport and Riverside | 448 | $3,550 | $2,950 (131) | $3,700 (138) | $4,650 (109) | 26 |
| 02141 | East Cambridge | 315 | $3,600 | $3,200 (108) | $3,900 (134) | $4,400 (54) | 28 |
| 02142 | Kendall Square | 38 | $3,912 | $3,485 (12) | $4,600 (19) | too few | 46 |
Last twelve months, every closed Cambridge rental, sorted by median. The all sizes median runs from $3,350 in 02138 to $3,912 in 02142, but part of that is the mix of housing in each zip, so compare the same bedroom count across a row where the sample allows.
| Neighborhood | Rentals | Median, all sizes | 2 bedroom | Days to rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Cambridge | 46 | $3,200 | $3,900 (17) | 24 |
| Cambridge Highlands | 73 | $3,250 | $4,300 (28) | 56 |
| Harvard Square | 140 | $3,390 | $3,650 (53) | 30 |
| North Cambridge | 20 | $3,400 | $3,350 (12) | 22 |
| Central Square | 41 | $3,495 | $4,050 (12) | 28 |
| Inman Square | 30 | $3,500 | $3,650 (11) | 26 |
| East Cambridge | 129 | $3,600 | $4,000 (61) | 28 |
| Porter Square | 44 | $3,725 | $4,400 (21) | 58 |
| West Cambridge | 56 | $3,950 | $4,400 (18) | 37 |
| Cambridgeport | 69 | $4,000 | $3,900 (26) | 21 |
| Kendall Square | 62 | $4,050 | $4,300 (25) | 35 |
Last twelve months, sorted by median. Neighborhoods are as coded in the MLS; about 49 percent of Cambridge listings carry no neighborhood tag and sit only in the town totals. The all sizes medians partly reflect what kind of housing each neighborhood rents, so the 2 bedroom column is the fairer comparison where the sample allows one.
| Type | 2br median | 2br days | 3br median | 3br days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment | $3,600 (225) | 28 | $4,275 (110) | 34 |
| Condo | $3,900 (291) | 25 | $4,500 (78) | 24 |
| Townhouse or duplex | $4,225 (40) | 20 | $5,900 (43) | 29 |
| Single family | $4,550 (10) | 40 | $7,000 (23) | 31 |
Last twelve months. Same bedroom count, different building: this is what the product itself is worth.
Priced right: 19 days. Overpriced: 56 days, and a $200 cut anyway.
1,485 closed Cambridge rentals in the last twelve months
Over the last twelve months the median Cambridge rental took 28 days. 11 percent rented within a week, and 27 percent are gone inside two weeks. 57 percent of rentals went at exactly the original asking price and another 7 percent above it, so 36 percent of Cambridge landlords had to cut.
When they did cut, the pattern is the same one I find everywhere: 19 days at full price against 56 days with a cut, and the cut ran a median of $200 a month. Overpricing costs a month of vacancy and then the lower rent anyway.
| Time on market | Share |
|---|---|
| Under a week | 11% |
| 8 to 14 days | 16% |
| 15 to 30 days | 27% |
| 31 to 60 days | 23% |
| 61 to 90 days | 11% |
| More than 90 days | 12% |
1,485 rentals, last twelve months.
About $8,650 for a typical two bedroom.
That is 2.3 times one month of rent. 566 two bedroom rentals, last twelve months.
For a two bedroom in Cambridge:
So a $3,800 two bedroom realistically needs about $8,650 in the bank to sign. If that shapes your search, better to know before you fall in love with something. Reach out and I'll send you what I currently have available.
My favorite part of the report, because these numbers exist nowhere else. Every feature is compared within the same bedroom count, so a two bedroom is only measured against another two bedroom, and any comparison with fewer than ten rentals on either side gets thrown out.
| Feature | Share of rentals | Rent difference | Speed difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A half bath | 15% | +$1,050 | 7 days faster |
| Second full bathroom | 32% | +$1,025 | no clear effect |
| Second parking space | 10% | +$775 | no clear effect |
| Fireplace | 11% | +$775 | no clear effect |
| Air conditioning | 84% | +$700 | 7 days slower |
| Laundry in the unit | 62% | +$650 | no clear effect |
| Garage parking | 29% | +$600 | 4 days slower |
| Private outdoor space | 43% | +$525 | no clear effect |
| Built 2010 or later | 25% | +$375 | 22 days slower |
| Walking distance to a T stop | 74% | +$225 | no clear effect |
| Pets allowed | 50% | +$175 | 2 days faster |
| Heat included in rent | 35% | about $25 | 4 days slower |
| Built before 1940 | 44% | $700 less | 3 days faster |
Median differences within bedroom count, last twelve months. The rows near the bottom stay in on purpose. A report that finds a premium on every feature is a report you shouldn't trust.
Read this table for what it really says. The biggest gaps in Cambridge (a half bath, second full bathroom, second parking space) mostly describe which kind of property you're in, not an amenity you can add on a weekend. They are the signature of the newer or larger unit.
And the things that barely move the rent here: heat included in rent. Where most listings already have something, it stops being worth extra.
Those numbers describe what a unit was listed with, not what I verified in person. Agents who fill out listings carefully also tend to be marketing better units, so part of what any feature appears to be worth is really the value of a better building and a better listing. The year built, bathroom, garage and fireplace rows rest on hard structural fields and are the most reliable. The amenity checkboxes are directional.
The fast months are April, May and June, when the median rental goes in 18 to 21 days. July and June close the most deals. The slow months are October and December, at 46 to 49 days. If your lease ends in late fall or winter, fix the cycle. A vacant month on a $3,500 Cambridge rental is a $3,500 mistake.
| Month | Rentals closed | Median days to rent |
|---|---|---|
| January | 150 | 42 |
| February | 136 | 29 |
| March | 191 | 29 |
| April | 281 | 21 |
| May | 392 | 20 |
| June | 405 | 18 |
| July | 472 | 25 |
| August | 302 | 29 |
| September | 272 | 33 |
| October | 183 | 49 |
| November | 145 | 39 |
| December | 140 | 46 |
Two full years of closings pooled by the month the lease was signed, October 2024 through September 2026.
| Bedrooms | Median size | Rent per square foot |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 437 sqft | $5.93 |
| 1 bedroom | 660 sqft | $4.59 |
| 2 bedroom | 989 sqft | $3.93 |
| 3 bedroom | 1,257 sqft | $3.70 |
| 4 bedroom | 1,800 sqft | $3.66 |
| 5+ bedroom | 2,700 sqft | $3.77 |
Last twelve months. A studio in Cambridge costs $5.93 a square foot against $3.77 for a 5+ bedroom. Square footage comes from the listing agent and is approximate, so trust the pattern more than the exact cents.
Up, about 2 percent, measured the most honest way there is.
The same units against themselves: across 253 cases where one Cambridge unit rented twice at least six months apart, the median change was up 2.3%. 157 went up, 60 held, 36 went down.
Full years side by side, October 2024 through September 2025 against October 2025 through September 2026, the all bedroom median went from $3,500 to $3,500, flat. Headline medians move with the mix of what happened to rent, which is why the same unit comparison is the one I trust.
| Bedrooms | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 to Sep 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,800 (125) | $2,450 (105) | down 12.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $3,000 (496) | $3,000 (459) | flat |
| 2 bedroom | $3,700 (585) | $3,800 (566) | up 2.7% |
| 3 bedroom | $4,450 (244) | $4,600 (254) | up 3.4% |
| 4 bedroom | $6,300 (100) | $6,000 (83) | down 4.8% |
| 5+ bedroom | $7,000 (34) | $9,750 (18) | up 39.3% |
| All rentals | $3,500 (1,584) | $3,500 (1,485) | flat |
| Same unit, rented twice | 253 matched pairs | up 2.3% | |
Full twelve month windows on both sides, so seasonality can't fake the comparison.
| Included | Share of rentals |
|---|---|
| Water | 89% |
| Sewer | 75% |
| Snow removal | 55% |
| Trash | 48% |
| Grounds maintenance | 42% |
| Hot water | 40% |
| Heat | 35% |
| Parking | 22% |
| Laundry facilities | 21% |
| Gas | 11% |
Last twelve months, as listed. Only 35 percent of Cambridge rentals include heat, so budget for winter utilities on everything else.
Own a rental in Cambridge? These are the numbers I price units with every week. If you want to know what yours should rent for, send me the address and what it last rented at, and I'll tell you what I'd list it for and how long I think it takes. No charge and no pressure, it's a five minute exercise for me.
Renting instead? Get in touch and I'll send you what I have available, and here's my general guide to Cambridge if you're new to the area.
Source. Every figure on this page is calculated from closed rental transactions recorded in MLS Property Information Network. Cambridge closed 3,069 rentals settled 1 October 2024 through 30 September 2026, every one of them in this analysis, deduplicated by listing number. These are rents tenants actually signed, not asking prices.
Windows. The headline numbers use the last three, six and twelve months ending 30 September 2026. The trend compares two complete twelve month windows, and the seasonal table pools both years.
Method. Medians, not averages, because the top of the market would drag an average around badly. Time on market is the MLS days on market field. Cash to move in is first month, plus last month where required, plus the security deposit. Any figure resting on fewer than ten rentals gets left out entirely.
What's approximate. Square footage, amenities and included utilities are entered by listing agents and aren't independently verified. Neighborhoods are as coded in the MLS.
Corrections. If you find an error, tell me. I'll fix it and note it in the log below. That's the deal.
Based on information provided to and compiled by MLS Property Information Network, Inc. covering the period 1 October 2024 through 30 September 2026.