What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the highest household income ($125k).

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	Mansfield	Marlborough
People
Population	23,931Lowest	41,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±1.3Highest 4% above MA	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Mansfield and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Mansfield and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Mansfield and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA	$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average	$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA
	Marlborough and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,226Highest 21% above MA	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Mansfield and Marlborough 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	#60 of 282 in MA	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	Mansfield	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school in town	Mansfield High	Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.