Neighborhood
West Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts US
West Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts is a higher-priced, lower-yield market with prices about 148% above the Massachusetts median and in line with Cambridge, a gross yield of 3.3, and prices up 0.8% over the past year. Walkability is 94 and education is in the 86th percentile, while the Red Flag score of 49 suggests moderate overall risk. The main strength is strong walkability, but the yield is comparatively low.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
1.22 mi²
ZIP Code
02138
County
Middlesex County
State
Massachusetts
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$1,228,635
YoY+0.8%
Gross Rental Yield
3.3%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
Moderate
49 / 100
Walkability Score
94
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
86 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
44
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
West Cambridge Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for West Cambridge, Cambridge.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $1,228,635 | +0.8% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $945/sqft | +0.5% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $3,341/mo | -1.1% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 3.3% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 25 / 100 | Low |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 58 | -3.3% |
Is West Cambridge Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Massachusetts crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 94/100
Active transaction volume — 58 homes sold last period
Dense amenities — 74 dining & 8 grocery options nearby
Flood risk is Very High (80/100)
Hurricane risk is Very High (80/100)
Insights are generated from West Cambridge's live DistrictScore metrics.
West Cambridge Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Massachusetts-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Massachusetts Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14.3 | 3.1 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 14.4 | 3.2 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 14.0 | 3.2 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 13.0 | 3.0 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 13.6 | 3.1 | -9.8% |
| 2019 | 15.1 | 3.3 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; West Cambridge inherits the Massachusetts figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 1
Zone 1 — Highest potential · West Cambridge
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSSuperfund (NPL)1.9 kmHigh
Industrial odor15 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near West Cambridge: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in West Cambridge
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI94
Walker's Paradise
Walkability Score
8
Grocery
74
Dining
13
Schools
13
Universities
2
Hospitals
2
Pharmacies
29
Parks
2
Rail Transit
1
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within West Cambridge's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
West Cambridge vs Cambridge vs Massachusetts
How West Cambridge benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Massachusetts tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.95% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
State income tax up to 5% (+4% surtax over $1M); rental income is taxed at these rates.
State Capital Gains
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at state rates.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: $4.56 per $1,000.
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents7
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
1031 State Conformity
Conforms to 1031 but tracks deferred in-state gain after an out-of-state exchange.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Massachusetts property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
West Cambridge Real Estate FAQ
West Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts has a gross yield of 3.3 and prices about 148% above the Massachusetts median, so the income profile is comparatively modest. The strengths are walkability of 94 and education in the 86th percentile, while the Red Flag score of 49 suggests moderate overall risk.
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