What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Marshfield Hills has the highest household income ($216k).

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	Marshfield Hills
People
Population	15,750Highest	1,978Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3Lowest 13% above MA	52±10.2Highest 30% above MA
	Marshfield Hills and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4%	17%±7.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Northborough and Marshfield Hills 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%	22%±6Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marshfield Hills 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	56.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	0.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,199±$19kLowest 47% above MA	$216,250±$90kHighest 108% above MA
	Marshfield Hills 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	$851,700±$107kHighest 52% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,919±$269 9% above MA	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,983Lowest 33% above MA	$8,575Highest 43% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	100%±38.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marshfield Hills 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%	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	93.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1976Lowest 12 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%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	18.3%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Northborough and Marshfield Hills 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	—
School district	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro	—
High school in town	Algonquin Regional High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8	—
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.