What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beverly has the most people working from home (22.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beverly	Marlborough
People
Population	42,665Highest	41,647Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39±1.8Highest about the MA average	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
	Beverly and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±1.8Lowest 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+	19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,044±$7kHighest about the MA average	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA
	Beverly and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$650,300±$13kHighest 16% above MA	$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average	$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA
	Marlborough and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,836Highest 14% above MA	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±7.2Lowest 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	9.4%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 3% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.3%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#144 of 282 in MA	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	Beverly	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school 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

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.