Commercial Real Estate Market in East Cambridge, MA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: September 30
306 active listings and 1,524 off-market properties in East Cambridge, MA. Commercial property asks $898/SF to buy and $41.87/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
East Cambridge, MA spans 0.6 square miles in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 30 September 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in East Cambridge, MA runs 19.9% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Retail
Retail vacancy in East Cambridge, MA runs 6% across the Northeast region in 2025, little changed from 6% in 2019. Down from a 2020 peak of 7.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in East Cambridge, MA runs 7.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 5.4% in 2019. Nearly 2.4x the 2021 low of 3.2%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in East Cambridge, MA asks $359/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 5.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 4% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
East Cambridge, MA has 15,130 residents in 8,128 households. Density runs 24,852 people per square mile. Median household income here is $120,542 and median gross rent $2,752 a month.
15,130
Population
8,128
Households
1.9
Avg Household Size
32
Median Age
74%
College-Educated
94%
High-School Grad
0.6 sq mi
ZIP Area
24,852
Density / Sq Mi
$120,542
Median Household Income
$73,002
Median Earnings
$2,752
Median Rent
$892,600
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $41.87/SF/Yr lease vs $898/SF buy → buying wins if held > 12.9 years.
At a 4.7% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Somerville | — | $36.95 |
| Cambridge | — | $41.87 |
| Chelsea | — | — |
| Everett | — | $37.70 |
Commercial property in East Cambridge, MA asks $898/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in East Cambridge?
Commercial property in East Cambridge, MA asks an average of $898 per square foot. The 5 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $718/SF, so asking sits 25% above the achieved median. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $359/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in East Cambridge?
Asking lease rates in East Cambridge, MA average $41.87 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in East Cambridge?
Buying beats leasing in East Cambridge, MA if the property is held longer than 12.9 years, comparing $41.87/SF/Yr asking rent with $898/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Where does Realmo's East Cambridge market data come from?
Realmo compiles East Cambridge, MA figures from 8 recent recorded sales, 109 active sale listings, 197 active lease listings, 1,524 tracked off-market properties. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 30 September 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 109 active for-sale and 197 active for-lease listings in East Cambridge, MA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 30 September 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Northeast region level, retail vacancy is reported at Northeast region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Northeast region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 30 September 2026 · report a data issue
