What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northborough has the most homeowners (83.1%).

Westborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Westborough
People
Population	15,750Lowest	21,944Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+18%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45±3Highest 13% above MA	38.8±1.6Lowest 3% below MA
Kids under 18	21.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Westborough and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	15.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Northborough and Westborough 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%	65.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Northborough and Westborough 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	$141,944±$12kLowest 37% above MA
	Northborough and Westborough 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	$685,300±$31kHighest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA	$2,106±$151Highest 20% above MA
	Westborough and Northborough 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	$9,983Highest 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±16.3Highest MA: 51.8%	40.9%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Northborough and Westborough 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%	6.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	61.8%Lowest 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 minHighest 7% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.5%±3.7Highest MA: 18.6%
	Westborough 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	#21 of 282 in MA
School district	Northborough · Northboro-Southboro	Westborough
High school in town	Algonquin Regional High	Westborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.8Highest
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.