First of all, if you don’t live here, why do you care?

Cambridge does not have a lot of crime - in general the crime rate is much lower than other urban areas. The Boston area has a fantastic job market for many industries and specialties. Yes it’s warmer elsewhere, but some people prefer the varied seasons and don’t love the heat.

A lot of people despise the idea of living in a suburban mcmansion and needing to drive everywhere. Everyone in Cambridge knows they could get a bigger home moving elsewhere - they value the walkability, diversity, proximity to industry and schools and cultural centers like museums, the culture, the public transit, etc.

MA has some of the best hospitals in the country. We also have some of the best public schools in the country.

Some people don’t like the Southern hospitality facade of niceties that often doesn’t translate to a deeper friendliness or good character. Some people also value living in states with leadership and laws that support them, support the LGBT community, support women’s healthcare, and aren’t trying to do things like ban books from schools.

Also, a big reason southern states have fewer homeless people is because their conservative leadership literally bus homeless people to other states to avoid responsibility. which is a pretty shitty and immoral way to handle the situation.

Seems like the many things that make Cambridge and Boston appealing to so many people are things you don’t care about. that’s fine. The things you value in life and where you want to live are probably places many people would find a living nightmare.