Compare towns
Marlborough vs Danvers vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlborough has the most affordable homes ($513k median).
Danvers has the most homeowners (69.2%).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Marlborough | Danvers | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647 |
28,098Lowest |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Marlborough and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Danvers and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Woburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA |
$2,076±$192 18% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,747 4% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Danvers 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 | #215 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | — | Woburn |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | — | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.