The relationship between the university and the city has not always been positive. In 1381, strong clashes brought about attacks and looting of university properties while locals contested the privileges granted by the government to the academic staff. Following these events, the Chancellor was given special powers allowing him to prosecute the criminals and re-establish order in the city. Attempts to reconcile the two groups followed over time, and in the 16th century agreements were signed to improve the quality of streets and student accommodation around the city. However, this was followed by new confrontations when the plague hit Cambridge in 1630 and colleges refused to help those affected by the disease by locking their sites.
剑桥大学与当地镇民的关系并不一直都是那么和谐。1381年，当地居民因不满剑桥大学一些处处受政府袒护的贵族教职员的行为，而破坏及抢掠大学资产。之后，剑桥大学校长获授特权去捉拿滋事者归案，重新确立镇上的秩序，并一直尝试改善学校与本地居民的关系，双方甚至在16世纪就街道质量的维护以及学生在镇上的住宿问题签署了和平协议书。但这宁静很快被1630年在剑桥爆发的鼠疫打破。当时剑桥大学书院方面拒绝为受感染的居民治病，并封锁他们的住处。这又一次引起了冲突。
Nowadays, these conflicts have somewhat subsided and the University has become an opportunity for employment among the population, providing an increased level of wealth in the area. The enormous growth in the number of high-tech, biotech, providers of services and related firms situated near the town has been termed the Cambridge Phenomenon: the addition of 1,500 new, registered companies and as many as 40,000 jobs between 1960 and 2010 has been directly related to the presence of the educational institution.
如今，这样的纠纷已经平息了。剑桥大学为当地人带来了就业机会，改善了居民的财富水平。镇子附近高科技企业、生物技术企业、各种服务商以及相关企业的大幅增长被称为剑桥现象：1960年至2010年间，有1500家新增公司注册营业，并且增加了多达40000个工作机会，这都与剑桥这一教育机构的存在有着直接的关系。
