Compare towns
Boylston vs Mendon vs Northborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Mendon has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Northborough has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Boylston | Mendon | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
6,325 |
15,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Boylston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA |
| Northborough and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,840±$196Lowest 4% above MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Boylston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
$7,983Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Northborough 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Mendon-Upton | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | None in town | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.