What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northborough has the most affordable homes ($620k median).

Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Northborough	Cohasset
People
Population	15,750Highest	8,427Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3Highest 13% above MA	43.9±4.4Lowest 10% above MA
	Northborough and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Cohasset and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.8%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Cohasset and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	76.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Northborough and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,199±$19kLowest 47% above MA	$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA
	Cohasset and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$620,000±$24kLowest 10% above MA	$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA	$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,983Lowest 33% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±15.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Cohasset and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Highest MA: 10%	3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	83%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 7% above MA	37 minHighest 28% above MA
Work from home	22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Cohasset 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	#35 of 282 in MA	#41 of 282 in MA
School district	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro	Cohasset
High school in town	Algonquin Regional High	Cohasset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.