Compare towns
Hudson vs Bolton vs Marlborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the oldest population (median age 42.9).
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
Marlborough has the most renters (44% rent).
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 | Hudson | Bolton | Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077 |
5,737Lowest |
41,647Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Highest 7% above MA |
41.2±1.7 3% above MA |
37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
| Hudson and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Marlborough and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13k about the MA average |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
$513,100±$28k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA |
| Marlborough and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA | #215 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Nashoba | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Nashoba Regional | Assabet Valley Vocational High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
12.0Highest |
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.