Is Cambridge a Good Place to Live? Full Area Report

Name: HouseCheckup UK Property Database
Creator: HouseCheckup
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

East of England / Cambridgeshire·Last updated: 2026-05-06

Avg Property Price

£500,000

Avg Rent

£1,450/month

Crime Rating

Below Average

Schools (Good+)

82% Good or Outstanding

Broadband Avg

88 Mbps

Transport

Good

Flood Risk

Medium

Population

145K

Is Cambridge a good place to live?

Cambridge is a globally renowned university city celebrated for its stunning medieval colleges, punting along the Backs, and world-leading scientific research. HouseCheckup area data shows Cambridge has some of the highest property prices outside London, reflecting exceptional demand from academics, tech workers, and London commuters. The city's Silicon Fen technology cluster makes it one of Europe's most important innovation hubs.

What is the average property price in Cambridge?

The average property price in Cambridge is £500,000, with average rent of £1,450/month. Population is 145K. These figures aggregate HM Land Registry transactions and live rental listings across Cambridge, and are updated alongside the rest of this guide on 2026-05-06.

What's the flood risk in Cambridge?

HouseCheckup classifies the flood-risk picture in Cambridge as Medium, drawing on Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning data and surface-water flooding layers. A full HouseCheckup property report adds the postcode-specific zone, historical flood incidents, and 2050/2080 climate projections.

Is Cambridge a safe place to live?

Police.UK street-level data places Cambridge's overall crime rate at Below Average. Like every UK town and city, Cambridge has safer and less safe streets — see the HouseCheckup property report for the postcode-specific picture.

What are the schools like in Cambridge?

Around 82% Good or Outstanding in Cambridge. The HouseCheckup property report shows the catchment-area schools for any address with their full Ofsted history.

What is the transport like in Cambridge?

Cambridge has a transport rating of Good, drawn from NaPTAN public transport access nodes and rail data. Average broadband speed is 88 Mbps per Ofcom Connected Nations.

Pros of Living in Cambridge

World-leading university and research ecosystem attracting global talent
Thriving tech sector known as Silicon Fen with excellent career opportunities
Outstanding school performance among the best in England
Beautiful flat landscape ideal for cycling — the UK's cycling capital
Low crime rates and a safe, family-friendly atmosphere

Cons of Living in Cambridge

Extremely high property prices driven by demand outstripping limited supply
Traffic congestion is severe for a city of its size, particularly on approach roads
Flat, exposed landscape means cold east winds in winter
Limited nightlife and entertainment compared to larger cities

Frequently Asked Questions About Cambridge

According to the ONS UK House Price Index, the average house price in Cambridge was £475,000 in February 2026, down 1.7% on February 2025. ONS records the typical first-time-buyer price at £397,000 — well above HMRC's £300,000 stamp-duty relief threshold — and home-mover average at £599,000. Cambridge is among the most expensive English cities outside Greater London. For an address-level price check on any Cambridge postcode, run a £24.99 HouseCheckup report.

Cambridge consistently tops Sunday Times and ONS quality-of-life surveys for English cities outside London. The Silicon Fen technology cluster (ARM, AstraZeneca, Microsoft Research) drives one of the strongest UK jobs markets per head outside London. Ofsted records show Cambridge state schools collectively above the national 86% Good-or-Outstanding primary benchmark. Cycling, low crime, and the chalk-stream Backs underpin liveability. For commuter alternatives, see /research/best-commuter-towns-london.

Police.UK and Cambridgeshire Constabulary data show Cambridge recording below-average overall crime rates for an English city of its size. Bicycle theft is consistently the largest single reported category, reflecting Cambridge's status as the UK's leading cycling city. Residential areas CB3 Newnham, CB2 Trumpington, and CB3 Girton record some of the safest profiles in the East of England. For a national safety comparison, see /blog/safest-places-to-live-uk-2026.

Ofsted's inspection database shows Cambridge with one of the highest concentrations of Good and Outstanding schools in England, including notable clusters in CB2 Trumpington, CB3 Newnham, and CB4 Chesterton. Independent options include The Perse, The Leys, and St Mary's. The University of Cambridge is consistently ranked among the world's top three universities. Catchment-driven price premiums are among the strongest in England — see /blog/school-catchment-areas-property-prices.

Environment Agency flood maps put parts of central Cambridge along the River Cam and the Rhee tributaries — including CB3 Newnham, CB2 Mill Road, and parts of CB1 Romsey — in Flood Zones 2 and 3. Cambridge is largely flat fenland, so surface-water flooding is also a recognised risk. Always check the EA Flood Map for Planning at the address level before exchange. For more, see /blog/flood-risk-zones-explained.

ONS records the average Cambridge first-time-buyer price at £397,000 in February 2026, far above HMRC's £300,000 first-time-buyer stamp-duty relief threshold under the April 2025 SDLT regime. Most Cambridge first-time buyers will pay SDLT on a portion of the purchase. Postcodes CB4 Arbury, CB1 Cherry Hinton, and the Northstowe new town offer the strongest entry points. For SDLT mechanics, read /blog/stamp-duty-guide-2026 and /blog/first-time-buyer-checklist-2026.

Cambridge is among the most expensive English cities outside London for renters, supported by a 25,000-strong combined University of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin student population plus a research-led professional jobs market. ONS Private Rent and House Prices data for early 2026 shows the East of England tracking annual rent inflation broadly in line with the UK rate of 3.4%. Postcodes CB2 Mill Road, CB1 Romsey, and CB4 De Freville command premium rents. For yield analysis, see /blog/best-buy-to-let-areas-2026.

Cambridge station runs Greater Anglia services to London Liverpool Street and Govia Thameslink Railway services to London King's Cross in under 50 minutes. Cambridge North opened in 2017 to serve the Science Park. The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway is the longest in the UK, connecting St Ives and Trumpington. Stansted Airport sits 30 miles south. Cambridge has the highest cycling modal share of any UK city. Run a £24.99 HouseCheckup report for connectivity at any Cambridge postcode.

Related research and reports

Cheapest UK postcodes for first-time buyers (2026)HouseCheckup-original ranking of the most affordable UK postcodes, with avg price, rent, transport and schools.Safest UK postcodes (2026)Police.UK-derived ranking of the safest postcodes by crime rate, plus the local-area context behind each entry.Best UK property reports (2026 comparison)Side-by-side review of every major UK property report — HouseCheckup, Groundsure, Hometrack, Rightmove and Zoopla.

Data sources for this guide

HouseCheckup area guides aggregate official UK government datasets. The figures shown above for Cambridge come from:

Pillar guide

Cheapest places to live in the UK (2026)

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