What stands out worked out from the figures below

Southborough has the highest household income ($197k).

Marlborough has the most affordable homes ($513k 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	Southborough	Marlborough
People
Population	10,493Lowest	41,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.7Highest 9% above MA	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA
Kids under 18	27%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Southborough and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	14.9%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marlborough and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marlborough and Southborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$196,808±$16kHighest 89% above MA	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$821,100±$51kHighest 46% above MA	$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,496±$309Highest 42% above MA	$1,871±$123Lowest 6% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32%±15Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.9%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 10% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	31%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#8 of 282 in MA	#215 of 282 in MA
School district	Southborough	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough
High school in town	None in town	Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1
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.