Compare towns
Berlin vs Beverly vs Marlborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Beverly has the most expensive homes ($650k median).
Marlborough has the most affordable homes ($513k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Berlin | Beverly | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,378Lowest |
42,665Highest |
41,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Marlborough and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,336±$12kHighest 17% above MA |
$106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA |
| Berlin and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA |
$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
| Beverly and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$1,871±$123 6% above MA |
| Berlin and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 19% above MA |
$6,836 14% above MA |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±19.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 17% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Beverly | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Beverly High | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.