Compare towns
Marlborough vs Needham vs Milford
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 renters (44% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($477k median).
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 | Needham | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647Highest |
32,459 |
30,431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
38.9±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Milford and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$96,365±$4k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28k 9% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$476,700±$12kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,909±$137 8% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,869 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Milford 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #215 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Needham | Milford |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Needham High | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.