What it's like to live in Marlborough
Marlborough is a small city in Massachusetts with household incomes running above the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Marlborough deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
How Marlborough compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Marlborough
Based on Marlborough's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,742
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $74,840 a year
- 58% of Marlborough renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$102,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $51,310
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 32% above US
$1,871/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,871 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $513,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $513,100 · 58% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 48% above US
488 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 920/100k · Marlborough Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 14% above US
30 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 13% above US
41% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Minute Man National Historical Park (14 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Marlborough's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,871/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
See all the data for Marlborough →·All Massachusetts cities →
Other places near Marlborough
All Massachusetts guides →Moving to Framingham →
6 mi away · pop. 72,399
Rent $2,033/mo · Income $107,419
Compare with Marlborough →Moving to Maynard →
7 mi away · pop. 10,712
Rent $1,800/mo · Income $124,067
Compare with Marlborough →Moving to Wellesley →
13 mi away · pop. 30,347
Rent $2,886/mo · Income $250,000+
Compare with Marlborough →Not sure Marlborough is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.