What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).

Longmeadow has the most affordable homes ($454k 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	Longmeadow
People
Population	15,750Highest	15,696Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3Highest 13% above MA	44.6±1.7Lowest 12% above MA
	Northborough and Longmeadow 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%	24.8%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Longmeadow 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%	23.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	67.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.9%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Longmeadow and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA	$149,601±$24kLowest 44% above MA
	Northborough and Longmeadow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA	$454,100±$20kLowest 19% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA	$1,682±$423Lowest 5% below MA
	Northborough and Longmeadow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,983Lowest 33% above MA	$9,236Highest 54% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	58%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Longmeadow and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%	4.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.7%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Longmeadow 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	#51 of 282 in MA
School district	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro	Longmeadow
High school in town	Algonquin Regional High	Longmeadow High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	11.3Highest
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.