Community Profile: Cambridge
Cambridge is an urban city across the Charles River from Boston. It is home to two prominent universities in the US: Harvard University and MIT. It is also home to some of the top biotechnology companies in the world. Some of these companies include Novartis, Biogen Idec, Wyeth, and Millennium.
Demographics
According to the 2008 US Census Bureau estimate, Cambridge is a city of 96,695 people and comprises 41,800 households and 16,654 families. It is the fifth most densely populated city in the United States. It is also the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts.
Cambridge is a vibrant city with people from diverse ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, and other minorities make up about a third of the city’s population. The racial distribution of the Cambridge population is shown in the figure on the right.
According to the 2008 US Census Bureau estimate, Cambridge is a city of 96,695 people and comprises 41,800 households and 16,654 families. It is the fifth most densely populated city in the United States. It is also the second most densely populated city in Massachusetts.
However, the demographics are very different for the Cambridge School district. Only 36% of the public school students are white (see Table 1 below). Other races/ethnic groups make up about two thirds of the population in the school district.
| Table 1: Cambridge School District Enrollment, 2008-2009 | |
|---|---|
| Race | Percentage |
| White | 36.0% |
| African Americans/Black | 34.6% |
| Hispanic | 14.1% |
| Asian | 11.3% |
| Native American | 0.5% |
| Multi-race, Non-Hispanic | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian | 0.2% |
Source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Cambridge is a relatively young city, in part due to its large college-age population. About two-fifths of the Cambridge population falls within the 20-34 year age range (see Table 2 below). The racial diversity and Cambridge’s many universities contribute to the vibrant nature of the city.
| Table 2: Cambridge Age Distribution, 2008 Population Estimate* | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age Group (years) | Frequency | Percentage |
| 19 years and under | 18,784 | 19% |
| 20 - 34 years | 36,890 | 38% |
| 35 - 44 years | 11,662 | 12% |
| 45 - 64 years | 20,161 | 21% |
| 65 years and greater | 9,198 | 10% |
* Data are based on a sample from the American Community Survey. Source: US Census Bureau
Health Issues
Cambridge, as a city, has done a great deal to ensure the health of its population. However, some health issues still need attention. Some of the priority health issues in the city and the overall region include:
- Chronic Diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke which accounted for over half of deaths in 2005.
- HIV/AIDS: Cambridge has a higher rate of new HIV/AIDS infections than the average rates for Massachusetts. The city's African-American and black population (particularly new immigrants) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Substance Abuse: Opioid-related emergency department visit rates were slightly above the rates of the state. However, alcohol and cocaine admissions were below the state rates in 2005.
Health Partnerships and Coalitions
Over the past 15 years, various community coalitions have emerged to tackle health issues in Cambridge. In addition, a large number of community-based organizations and faith-based organizations have contributed to health in Cambridge. Individual residents have also played active roles in improving the health of Cambridge.
These community coalitions include:
- Five-City Tobacco Control Collaborative: is a state funded collaborative. Its primary mandate is to develop, promote and enforce local tobacco control policies in Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Chelsea and Revere. The collaborative is housed in the city of Somerville.
- Cambridge Prevention Coalition: promotes community health and wellness through the reduction and prevention of substance abuse among Cambridge families. Some of their activities include prevention programs, research and evaluation and training and technical assistance services.
- Agenda for Children: started more than 10years ago. It brings city departments, community based organizations, and residents together with the vision of ensuring all Cambridge children are healthy and successful in school while living in strong communities.
- 0-8 council: is a coalition that brings together public and private providers and parents as partners to promote the healthy development of Cambridge Families and their children, prenatal to age eight.
- Men of Color (MOC) Task Force: is a collaboration between the Cambridge Health Alliance and different community organizations in Cambridge. Through the MOC health program, the Task Force operates to understand and reduce the barriers to health care among Cambridge men of color. It also seeks to provide preventive health services for minority men in Cambridge.
- For more information about public health activities in Cambridge, please visit the Cambridge Public Health Department website at www.cambridgepublichealth.org.
