Compare towns
Marlborough vs Sutton 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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Sutton | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647Highest |
9,452Lowest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
45±3Highest 13% above MA |
| Northborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northborough 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% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Northborough 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% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough 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 |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
| Northborough and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123 6% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
| Northborough and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,747Lowest 4% below MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$7,983Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marlborough and Northborough 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Northborough 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Sutton | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | Sutton High School | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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.