Compare towns
Marlborough vs Dover 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).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
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 | Dover | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647 |
5,930Lowest |
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 |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Marlborough 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% |
16.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Dover and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Woburn 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 |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,221±$77 26% above MA |
| Dover and Woburn 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #215 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Woburn |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1 |
9.8Lowest |
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.