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Cambridge, Massachusetts · FY2026 adopted budget · city

Cambridge — the money trail

$978,578,370
Cambridge's FY2026 adopted operating budget. The bars below are the General Fund (978,578,370), where the by-department money lives; a separate Water enterprise fund (13,602,950) and a 151,140,770 capital budget are appropriated on their own. Every department figure is from the adopted appropriation ordinance and they add up to the General Fund total exactly. Click any number to open the source. The pieces add up to the General Fund total exactly.
← all Middlesex cities & towns · the county page
General Fund $978,578,370 · Water (enterprise) $13,602,950 · Capital $151,140,770 · 118,403 residents (2020)

Where the money goes — FY2026, General Fund

Education (Cambridge Public Schools) $280,250,000 · 28.6%

Schools — the single biggest line, ~28% of the budget.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Employee Benefits $139,921,485 · 14.3%

Health insurance and pensions for city and school staff.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Debt Service $109,100,360 · 11.1%

Paying off money borrowed for buildings and capital.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Human Service Programs $66,676,925 · 6.8%

Youth, seniors, childcare, and community programs.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Public Works $61,534,450 · 6.3%

Streets, trash, recycling, parks, and water/sewer ops.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Police $55,823,490 · 5.7%

Cambridge Police Department.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Fire $49,511,815 · 5.1%

Cambridge Fire Department.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Cherry Sheet Assessments (state) $34,801,285 · 3.6%

Charges the state levies back on the city.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
MWRA sewer assessment $33,069,500 · 3.4%

The regional water/sewer authority bill.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Other General Fund departments $31,873,660 · 3.3%

The ~30 smaller departments together — Law, HR, City Council, Clerk, Elections, Arts, Veterans, and more. Shown as one line = the General Fund total minus the departments above.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Housing $27,488,870 · 2.8%

Affordable-housing programs and support.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Finance $22,275,015 · 2.3%

City budgeting, assessing, treasury, IT.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Library $15,615,210 · 1.6%

The Cambridge Public Library system.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Transportation $14,146,835 · 1.4%

Traffic, parking, and transit programs.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Community Development $9,034,030 · 0.9%

Planning, zoning, economic development.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Cambridge Health Alliance $8,885,450 · 0.9%

The city safety-net hospital system.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Emergency Communications $8,619,470 · 0.9%

911 dispatch.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Executive $5,938,410 · 0.6%

City Manager and executive offices.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗
Inspectional Services $4,012,110 · 0.4%

Building, health, and housing inspections.

source: City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget, Section VII (appropriation orders) ↗

Worth knowing

Where these numbers come from

Every figure is from the City of Cambridge FY2026 Adopted Budget (Section VII (appropriation orders)), adopted 2025-06-02. Cambridge also runs an interactive open-budget portal. This is Cambridge's own budget — set by Cambridge City Council, not by the county (which no longer governs). The "Other" line is the total minus the pieces shown, so the tree still adds up to the dollar.