InstaBidsHow much does it cost to replace windows in Cambridge?
$12,634 was the median declared permit value for data years 2023-2026 in Cambridge, MA. One- or two-family dwelling and townhouse window replacement permits issued in Cambridge declared a typical range (middle half of 292 City of Cambridge permit data points, Cambridge, MA, 2023-2026) of $6,433 to $22,966.
Updated 2026-10-28
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| What was measured | Median declared value | Declared value range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| One- or two-family dwelling and townhouse window replacement permits issued in Cambridge declared | a median declared value on building permits of $12,634 | the typical range (middle half of 292 City of Cambridge permit data points, Cambridge, MA, 2023-2026) was $6,433 to $22,966 |
Declared permit values are what applicants reported to the city; final contract prices can differ.
How measured: residential single-job permits; declared values below the low-value floor for the same job removed (0 rows). Source: City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, via Cambridge Open Data, data read 23 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, via Cambridge Open Data, data years 2023-2026, read 23 October 2026, for Cambridge, MA. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
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What the job includes, the line items to ask for and how to compare bids: the national window replacement cost guide.
What do Cambridge window permits declare?
Each Cambridge figure above is a declared permit value: what the applicant told the permit office the window replacement job was worth when applying. It is not an invoice.
The records come from City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, via Cambridge Open Data.
The selection covers completed permit applications for one- or two-family dwellings and townhouses. Addition or alteration records also need a one-family, two-family or townhouse property use. Roof-deck, addition and combined scopes are excluded.
Before matching, the selection left out 1 permit whose descriptions also named another job.
Of the 292 matched permits, 292 carried a declared value. No values were removed by the low-value check, leaving 292 permits behind the figures.
What does the national survey measure?
The national survey records what households in the United States reported for "Added or replaced doors or windows". The hired-out row keeps finished jobs handled by someone the household hired. The survey combines doors and windows in one item.
| What was measured | Median | Typical range (middle half) |
|---|---|---|
| Households in the American Housing Survey that hired someone to add or replace doors or windows reported | a median of $4,000 | the typical range (middle half of 1,477 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) was $1,300 to $10,000 |
| When the household fitted them itself | a median (572 American Housing Survey data points, the United States, 2021-2023) of $750 | — |
How measured: hired-out finished jobs, survey-weighted, not adjusted for inflation; do-it-yourself jobs the same way. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data read 16 October 2026.
These figures are estimates from U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, data years 2021-2023, read 16 October 2026, for the United States. They are not a quote, and they are not a promise of what any contractor on InstaBids will charge. Your price depends on your home, the materials and the contractor. Get written bids before you decide.
Full national guide: How much does it cost to replace windows?
A survey answer records what a household reported paying, while a declared permit value records what an applicant reported when applying.
What does ENERGY STAR say about landlords replacing windows?
ENERGY STAR's window page says that "any contractor or landlord replacing a window must use lead-safe work practices to prevent lead dust hazards", in a warning about houses built before 1978.
Source: ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA), Residential Windows, Doors and Skylights, read 16 October 2026.
Which window rules does Cambridge publish?
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “In some cases, an old wood sash may be beyond repair and need to be replaced.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “In such a situation, replacing the historic, single-glazed wood sash with a single-glazed reproduction wood sash is the preferred option.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “It is important that the new sash have the same number of lights (unless the existing sash are themselves inappropriate replacements – contact the Historical Commission for advice).”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “Dimensions and profiles of casings, sills, jambs, meeting rails and muntins are all subject to review.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: ““Replacing a sash” means replacing the moveable parts of a window, leaving the casings, jambs and sill intact.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “For optimal results, the storm windows meeting rails should correspond to the position of the existing meeting rails of the sash and match in color.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “All residents of Cambridge are encouraged to contact CHC staff for technical assistance with window restoration or replacement.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “If a double-glazed replacement window is the only option, Commissions will generally consider how the proposal will impact the historic character of a building; namely how closely the replacements match the originals in pattern, details, materials and finishes as closely as practicable.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: ““Replacing a window” means removing the entire window, including the sash, the jambs, the interior and exterior casings, and the sill, and installing an entirely new unit.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “This is often problematical because the casings will almost inevitably have different dimensions from the original, leaving gaps against both exterior and interior finishes.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
Example rule, Cambridge Historical Commission historic-window guidance: “Unless specially ordered, modern windows will have a different configuration of casings, stops, and screens, dimensionally-thinner sills and casings, and will sometimes occupy a different plane in the wall.”
Source: Cambridge Historical Commission, read 9 November 2026.
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Sources for the figures on this page
- City of Cambridge Inspectional Services Department, via Cambridge Open Data, https://data.cambridgema.gov/d/qu2z-8suj, read 23 October 2026. InstaBids computed medians and middle-half ranges.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Housing Survey 2023, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs/data/2023/ahs-2023-public-use-file--puf-.html, read 16 October 2026. U.S. government work; no endorsement implied.
- ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA), Residential Windows, Doors and Skylights, www.energystar.gov/products/res_windows_doors_skylights, read 16 October 2026.
- Cambridge Historical Commission, www.cambridgema.gov/-/media/Files/historicalcommission/pdf/windowglines_final.pdf, read 9 November 2026.