Porter Square home values
Porter Square at a glance
- Zillow’s Home Value Index puts the typical home at $1,087,500 (Aug 2026), +0.0% over the past 12 months and +5% over five years.
- The Census median home value is $1,070,200 — about the same as Cambridge overall and 215% above the U.S. median.
- Median household income is $136,382, so homes cost 7.8× local income.
- Median rent is $2,581/month (a 2.9% gross rental yield).
- Its ZIP ranks 3rd of 4 Cambridge ZIP codes by home value.
- These figures are for ZIP 02140, which Porter Square shares with North Cambridge, Neighborhood Nine.
Porter Square home value trend
Over the 12 months to Aug 2026, typical home values in Porter Square were essentially flat, to about $1,087,500. That is 0.8 percentage points slower than Cambridge (+0.8%). Values are 4.8% below their peak of $1,142,700 in Mar 2025. Over five years the typical home gained $52,800 in value (+5%).
Year-by-year values
| Month | Typical value | Change vs year before |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $1,087,500 | +0.0% |
| Aug 2025 | $1,087,400 | −1.0% |
| Aug 2024 | $1,098,700 | +4.4% |
| Aug 2023 | $1,052,900 | −4.0% |
| Aug 2022 | $1,096,400 | +6.0% |
| Aug 2021 | $1,034,700 | +7.3% |
| Aug 2020 | $963,900 | +1.3% |
| Aug 2019 | $951,100 | +0.9% |
| Aug 2018 | $942,500 | +7.9% |
| Aug 2017 | $873,800 | +10.3% |
| Aug 2016 | $792,100 | — |
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of mid-tier homes, smoothed & seasonally adjusted. Areas with several ZIPs: population-weighted.
Porter Square home value score
from local value, rent & income
In ZIP 02140, prices are high relative to rents (a low gross yield), and homes are expensive against local incomes.
How the Value Score is built
Computed figures
A transparent value snapshot — computed from U.S. Census ACS (2023) for this ZIP: home value, gross rent and household income. It is not a market-timing or appreciation forecast.
Porter Square vs Cambridge, Massachusetts and the U.S.
| Porter Square | Cambridge | Massachusetts | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical value (Zillow, Aug 2026) | $1,087,500 | $1,064,600 | $622,800 | — |
| 1-year change | +0.0% | +0.8% | +1.4% | — |
| 5-year change | +5% | +10% | +19% | — |
| Median home value (Census) | $1,070,200 | $1,076,900 | $561,900 | $340,200 |
| Median household income | $136,382 | $127,000 | $84,600 | $78,500 |
| Median gross rent | $2,581/mo | $2,717/mo | $1,760/mo | $1,406/mo |
| Price-to-income ratio | 7.8× | 8.5× | 6.6× | 4.3× |
| Gross rental yield | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.8% | 5.0% |
| Rent as share of income | 23% | 26% | 25% | 21% |
| Mortgage payment* | $5,412/mo | $5,445/mo | $2,841/mo | $1,720/mo |
Census figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates; areas spanning several ZIPs use population-weighted averages of ZIP medians, and city/state columns cover the ZIPs of the places listed on this site. Zillow: ZHVI. *Principal & interest on the Census median value, 20% down, 6.5% fixed, 30 years.
What it costs to buy a home in Porter Square
At today’s typical value of $1,087,500 (Zillow, Aug 2026), a buyer putting 20% down ($217,500) and financing the rest at 6.5% over 30 years would pay about $5,499 a month in principal and interest — 48% of the median household income here. That is well above the common 28% guideline, so buying here typically takes an above-median income, a larger down payment or existing equity. The median rent is $2,581/month, so owning costs roughly 113% more per month than renting, before taxes, insurance and upkeep — the trade-off is building equity.
Estimate only: excludes property tax, insurance, HOA and PMI, which vary by property. Incomes and rents are the latest Census (ACS 2023) figures. Run your own numbers in the estimator below.
What this means for buyers, sellers and investors in Porter Square
Buyers
At 7.8× local income, this is a premium market; expect competition for the few homes at the lower end of the range.
Sellers
Values are up 0.0% on the year, so recent sales support your price — and get a home-specific estimate: condition and size move the number more than the area average.
Investors
A gross rental yield of 2.9% is low — this is an appreciation play rather than a cash-flow market.
Other neighborhoods in Cambridge
| Name | Home value | 1-yr | Income | Rent | Price / income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2/MIT city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| Cambridgeport city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| Central Square city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| East Cambridge ZIP 02141 · shared | $893K | +2.3% | $121K | $2,752 | 7.4× |
| Harvard Square ZIP 02138 · shared | $1.09M | +0.5% | $122K | $2,799 | 8.9× |
| Inman Square city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| Kendall Square | $1.73M | +0.2% | $169K | $3,501 | 10.2× |
| Mid-Cambridge city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| Neighborhood Nine ZIP 02140 · shared | $1.07M | +0.0% | $136K | $2,581 | 7.8× |
| North Cambridge ZIP 02140 · shared | $1.07M | +0.0% | $136K | $2,581 | 7.8× |
| Porter Square ZIP 02140 · shared | $1.07M | +0.0% | $136K | $2,581 | 7.8× |
| Riverside city data | $1.07M | +1.1% | $125K | $2,613 | 8.6× |
| Strawberry Hill ZIP 02138 · shared | $1.09M | +0.5% | $122K | $2,799 | 8.9× |
| Wellington-Harrington ZIP 02141 · shared | $893K | +2.3% | $121K | $2,752 | 7.4× |
| West Cambridge ZIP 02138 · shared | $1.09M | +0.5% | $122K | $2,799 | 8.9× |
Home value, income and rent: Census ACS medians; 1-yr: Zillow ZHVI change over 12 months. Tap a column heading to sort.
Porter Square real estate FAQ
Are home prices going up in Porter Square?
What is the typical home value in Porter Square?
Is Porter Square affordable?
How much is rent in Porter Square?
Is Porter Square good for rental property investment?
What’s your Porter Square home worth?
Estimates are informational only and are not an appraisal.
About this data
Data last updated: September 2026.
Current values and trends use the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) — the typical value of mid-tier homes, smoothed and seasonally adjusted — through Aug 2026. It is refreshed monthly.
Median values, incomes, rents, housing stock and commutes come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates at ZIP Code Tabulation Area level. City and state figures are population-weighted averages of their ZIPs.
The Value Score (0–10) blends gross rental yield and price-to-income affordability. It is a value snapshot, not a forecast.
Mortgage figures assume 20% down and a 6.5% fixed 30-year loan, principal and interest only.
These are area-level statistics, not an appraisal of any individual property, and not financial advice.
Sources: U.S. Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI.