Small-town market profile · Maryland
Cambridge, MD area market data
How the Cambridge area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 33,628
- +3.4% since 2020
- Households
- 13,546
- Median household income
- $61,839
- +16.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $262,400
- Jobs located here
- 12,352
- Highest market score
- 88
- Pet businesses, #2 of 527 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Cambridge area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Cambridge area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Cambridge area has an estimated 33,628 people and 13,546 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Cambridge area grew 3.4%, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Cambridge area is $61,839, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 16.9%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Cambridge area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (64).
Of the business types scored in the Cambridge area, pet businesses (88); clothing and shoe stores (79); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (78) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet businesses, that ranks #2 of 527 scored small-town markets.
The Cambridge area is made up of one county, Dorchester County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for landscaping and lawn care companies (85% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Cambridge area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Cambridge area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet businesses | 88 | #2 of 527 | 7 | 5.2 | $1.6M | 181 | 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 79 | #33 of 536 | 9 | 6.6 | $2.6M | 208 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 78 | #39 of 536 | 14 | 10.3 | $1.7M | 193 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 76 | #47 of 526 | 8 | 5.9 | $1.8M | 179 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 75 | #25 of 529 | 8 | 5.9 | $5.9M | 159 | 5 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 75 | #30 of 507 | 7 | 5.2 | $6.7M | 162 | 5 |
| Gyms | 74 | #28 of 506 | 5 | 3.7 | $1.7M | 132 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 74 | #31 of 535 | 9 | 6.6 | $953K | 144 | Under 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 73 | #84 of 537 | 14 | 10.3 | $2.2M | 177 | 13 |
| Gas stations | 71 | #68 of 536 | 16 | 11.8 | $2.3M | 96 | 11 |
| Pizza | 68 | #94 of 520 | 9 | 6.6 | $5.2M | 103 | 23 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 65 | #87 of 533 | 22 | 16.2 | Index only | 160 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 63 | #105 of 476 | 8 | 5.9 | $4.5M | 94 | 11 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 60 | #172 of 538 | 139 | 102.6 | $339K | 91 | 49 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 58 | #198 of 538 | 86 | 63.5 | $164K | 108 | 22 |
| Roofing and gutters | 57 | #105 of 288 | 5 | 3.7 | $7.1M | 84 | 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 57 | #175 of 454 | 8 | 5.9 | $686K | 68 | 7 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #183 of 481 | 15 | 11.1 | $1.2M | 74 | 15 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 55 | #219 of 538 | 78 | 57.6 | $603K | 91 | 21 |
| Real estate | 54 | #215 of 536 | 28 | 20.7 | Index only | 158 | 20 |
| Nail salons | 53 | #186 of 387 | 6 | 4.4 | $1.9M | 112 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 53 | #245 of 538 | 26 | 19.2 | $431K | 100 | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 52 | #174 of 399 | 12 | 8.9 | $1.6M | 53 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 52 | #246 of 538 | 47 | 34.7 | $238K | 112 | 9 |
| Spas and skin care | 50 | #250 of 504 | 11 | 8.1 | $1M | 116 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 50 | #280 of 537 | 23 | 17.0 | $2M | 67 | 23 |
| Funeral homes | 45 | #207 of 365 | 7 | 5.2 | $304K | 45 | 4 |
| Tire shops | 45 | #249 of 431 | 5 | 3.7 | $2.2M | 90 | 4 |
| Physical therapy | 42 | #267 of 400 | 7 | 5.2 | $2M | 84 | 6 |
| Home repair trades | 42 | #361 of 526 | 22 | 16.2 | $1.6M | 67 | 26 |
| Convenience stores | 41 | #369 of 529 | 18 | 13.3 | $4.3M | 55 | 7 |
| Grocery stores | 39 | #366 of 506 | 15 | 11.1 | $5.2M | 56 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 38 | #391 of 538 | 32 | 23.6 | $351K | 79 | 17 |
| Electricians | 37 | #233 of 295 | 9 | 6.6 | $4M | 33 | 12 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 34 | #427 of 538 | 46 | 34.0 | $1.7M | 50 | 14 |
| Car washes and detailing | 33 | #353 of 441 | 7 | 5.2 | $1.6M | 64 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 33 | #431 of 538 | 58 | 42.8 | $194K | 72 | 23 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 32 | #331 of 400 | 9 | 6.6 | $1.6M | 50 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 30 | #328 of 387 | 7 | 5.2 | $1.6M | 52 | 5 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $2.8M | 149 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $2.8M | 102 | 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.2 | $4.7M | 264 | 12 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $4.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $9.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | Index only | Too few | 13 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $7.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $4.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $14.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $23.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $18.6M | Too few | 5 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $23.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $11.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $11.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Cambridge area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $11.2M | $830 | 87 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $36.5M | $2,691 | 104 |
| Food away from home | $47.1M | $3,474 | 85 |
| Groceries | $77.5M | $5,723 | 91 |
| Personal care products and services | $11.2M | $827 | 82 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.5M | $405 | 70 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $8.6M | $633 | 64 |
| Medical and dental services | $14.1M | $1,041 | 81 |
| Pets | $11.2M | $824 | 91 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $23.8M | $1,756 | 85 |
| Vehicle insurance | $31.1M | $2,293 | 117 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $35.7M | $2,636 | 87 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $18.6M | $1,374 | 97 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $192M | $14,173 | 85 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Cambridge area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 33,628+3.4% since 2020
- Households
- 13,546
- Median age
- 43.3
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 66%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 541 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 61
- Median household income
- $61,839+16.9% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $84,771
- Median home value
- $262,400
- Jobs located here
- 12,352
- Daytime population
- 29,247Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Cambridge area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Cambridge area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Cambridge area 1
- Dorchester County, MD32,754 people
Other markets based in Maryland 7
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area2,849,436 people
- Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV metro area302,649 people
- Lexington Park, MD metro area209,439 people
- Salisbury, MD metro area129,736 people
- Cumberland, MD-WV area94,306 people
- Ocean Pines, MD area53,700 people
- Easton, MD area37,917 people
Questions
How fast is the Cambridge, MD area growing?
Population estimates put the Cambridge area at 33,628 people in 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 13,546 households. Median household income rose 16.9% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Cambridge, MD area spend?
Households in the Cambridge area spend about $192M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $77.5M on groceries and $47.1M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Cambridge area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 117, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (64).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Cambridge, MD area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Cambridge area are for pet businesses (88); clothing and shoe stores (79); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (78). The Cambridge area ranks #2 of 527 scored small-town markets for pet businesses.
How does the Cambridge, MD area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Cambridge area is $61,839 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $262,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Cambridge area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for landscaping and lawn care companies (85% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 39 of the 56 business types have a score in the Cambridge area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Cambridge area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Maryland · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Cambridge area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Cambridge area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.