Compare towns
Northborough vs Ware vs Holliston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Holliston has the most people working from home (31.1%).
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 | Northborough | Ware | Holliston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,750Highest |
10,048Lowest |
15,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
45.2±1.9Highest 13% above MA |
| Holliston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holliston 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$159,817±$9kHighest 54% above MA |
| Holliston 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±$24k 10% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$650,300±$20kHighest 16% above MA |
| Holliston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,821±$225 3% above MA |
| Northborough and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$9,397Highest 57% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±20.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.1%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Holliston 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #38 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Ware | Holliston |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Holliston High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.1 |
12.4Highest |
| 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.