Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
Boston-Cambridge-Newton vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad side by side
| Metric | ● Boston-Cambridge-Newton | ● San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 26 | 30 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 2 | 4 |
| Affordability | 9 | 1 |
| Economic Strength | 36 | 60 |
| Rental Yield | 42 | 44 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 5.4 | 7.7 |
| Payment-to-Income | 33.3% | 47.5% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 3.8% | 3.3% |
| Overvaluation Index | 40 | 40 |
Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.
How Boston-Cambridge-Newton and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Boston-Cambridge-Newton leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 9/100 vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 1/100.
- Price Momentum: Boston-Cambridge-Newton and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 2/100 vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 4/100.
- Economic Strength: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 36/100 vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 60/100.
- Rental Yield: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad leads — Boston-Cambridge-Newton 42/100 vs San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 44/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad scores higher — 30 vs 26 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.
Is Boston-Cambridge-Newton or San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad more affordable?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 5.4 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton and 7.7 in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Boston-Cambridge-Newton or San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Both markets show similar price momentum (about 50/100).
Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Boston-Cambridge-Newton market brief and the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad brief.