Cambridge is a city in Cambridgeshire, in the East of England. Its local authority is Cambridge City Council, while county-wide services such as school admissions and the Guided Busway are the responsibility of Cambridgeshire County Council. Distances on this page are measured from Market Square in the city centre.
The 2021 Census recorded 145,674 usual residents in the Cambridge City Council area. The Office for National Statistics rounds this to 145,700 and reports that the population grew by 17.6% from around 123,900 in 2011.
Cambridge grew up at a crossing of the River Cam. The camp on Castle Hill, which guarded that crossing, may date from the early years of the Roman conquest. The University of Cambridge notes that a bridge over the Cam, from which the town took its name, had existed since at least 875, the year three Danish kings occupied the town. Cambridge became a military and administrative centre and the county town, and it had a mint from 975.
The Domesday account of the borough is brief and possibly incomplete. It records 373 burgages in 1066 and notes that 27 houses had been destroyed by 1086. In 1068 William I ordered a castle to be built on the site of the earlier camp.
In 1209 scholars escaping hostile townsmen in Oxford moved to Cambridge, the earliest record of the University. Peterhouse, the first college, was founded by the Bishop of Ely in 1284. The University is now made up of 31 colleges.
The railway arrived in 1845. Because of University influence, the station was built more than a mile from the town centre. In the 19th century the town spread out to take in the outlying settlements of Barnwell and Newnham, and in 1912 and 1935 the borough boundaries were extended to include the whole of Chesterton and Cherry Hinton, along with parts of neighbouring parishes including Trumpington and Grantchester. The town's commons escaped inclosure in 1841 and 1850. On 24 March 1951, 750 years after King John's first charter to the town, Cambridge was granted the title of city.
For council elections the city is divided into 14 wards, each represented by three councillors. The current ward boundaries took effect on 6 May 2021.
Check National Rail and the bus operators for current times before you travel.
In October 2026 the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register listed 27 open state-funded primary schools and seven state-funded secondary schools for pupils from age 11 in the Cambridge City Council area. It also listed a university technical college for ages 13 to 19 and three state-funded colleges and schools solely for ages 16 to 19: Hills Road Sixth Form College, Long Road Sixth Form College and Cambridge Maths School. The register also lists 15 independent schools in the city.
Applications for school places go through Cambridgeshire County Council's School Admissions team, which manages school places across the county. Catchment areas can change, so families should confirm current arrangements with Cambridgeshire County Council admissions.
HM Land Registry recorded 2,220 standard residential sales in the Cambridge City Council area between October 2024 and August 2026. The median price was £490,000. Of those sales, 868 were terraced houses, 621 flats or maisonettes, 469 semi-detached houses and 262 detached houses, with prices ranging from £76,000 to £5,000,000. Because the mix of homes sold varies from year to year, these figures give a general picture rather than a precise valuation.
Thinking of moving to or from Cambridge? Book a free valuation or browse property for sale with our team.
The 2021 Census recorded 145,674 usual residents in the Cambridge City Council area, up 17.6% on 2011.
Three. Cambridge station is about a mile south-east of the city centre, Cambridge North about two miles north-east and Cambridge South, which opened on 28 June 2026, about two miles south.
Cambridge was granted the title of city on 24 March 1951. It had been a borough until then.
HM Land Registry recorded a median price of £490,000 across 2,220 standard residential sales in the Cambridge City Council area between October 2024 and August 2026.
Just North of the River Cam, with easy access to Midsummer Common and Jesus Green, this area appeals to families who appreciate being within strolling distance of the historic sights of Cambridge.
Hills Road runs south from the city centre. There are Victorian and Edwardian terraces on streets such as Hartington Grove and Marshall Road, while further south, broader, tree lined roads such as Glebe Road and Hills Avenue provide detached and semi-detached house with larger gardens.
Famed for its independent shops, quirky restaurants and international atmosphere. In 2015 it took the runner-up spot at the Best British High Street Awards. It is a cosmopolitan area where Town and Gown live happily alongside each other. There is a vast number of different nationalities, religions and cultures on Mill Road, reflected in the wide selection of restaurants and supermarkets on the street.
Just to the west of the city centre this area is unique in the way that the urban and the rural sit side by side. Interesting local shops are just one street away from meadows, wildlife and woods. The city scape is characterised by big trees, many of which are left over from old orchards or the gardens of big houses. Proximity to the River Cam, access to Lammas Land and strolling distance to the historic sights of Cambridge are just some of the reasons why this area appeals to so many.
Lying south of the Station, its easy access to London, great local schools, proximity to the Botanic Gardens and strolling distance to the historic sights of Cambridge are just some of the reasons why this area is so popular.
