What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hatfield has the most homeowners (74.6%).

Marlborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).

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	Hatfield	Marlborough
People
Population	3,325Lowest	41,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±5Highest 17% above MA	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hatfield and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA	$91,968±$9kHighest 12% below MA
	Marlborough and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA	$513,100±$28kHighest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA	$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,930Lowest 18% below MA	$5,747Highest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marlborough and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 30% below MA	30 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Marlborough and Hatfield 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	#198 of 282 in MA	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	Hatfield	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school in town	Smith Academy	Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.1Lowest	10.1Highest
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.