Compare towns
Marlborough vs Needham vs Northborough
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).
Northborough has the oldest population (median age 45).
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 | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647Highest |
32,459 |
15,750Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
45±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Northborough and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Northborough 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 |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #215 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Needham | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Needham High | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
10.8 |
| 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.