Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, located directly across the Charles River from Boston in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. According to the 2020 U.S. census, it has a population of 118,403, making it the most populous city in Middlesex County, the fourth-largest city in Massachusetts after Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, and the ninth-most populous city in New England.
The city was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, reflecting the Puritan theological traditions that influenced the town's founders. This naming choice underscores the educational and religious heritage that has shaped the community since its establishment.