Population 15,940 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Northborough
Household size in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.80 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, Northborough sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Worcester area, where it has 2.56 people. Household size has dropped from 2.80 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Northborough skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Northborough: 5.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.9 points, in line with the national trend. Northborough has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Northborough
Renters in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.5% of households in Northborough rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About three in ten owners (29.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Northborough: just 5.1% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Northborough was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are newer than in the Worcester area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1965. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,343 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,374 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,628 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,056 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$713 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Northborough costs $2,056 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $713 a month from 2006–10, a 53% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.9% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Northborough
Bachelor's degrees in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.9% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.1% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.0% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 65.3% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Northborough: 65.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.6% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.0% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.6% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Northborough: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Northborough has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Northborough
| Period | Northborough | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Northborough is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.5 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Northborough compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northborough | 2.64 | 43.3 | 5.1% | 17.5% | 5.1% | 1980 | $2,056 | 65.3% | 98.0% | 4.9% |
| West Berlin | 2.41 | 48.5 | 5.0% | 24.1% | 2.8% | 1986 | $2,215 | 55.9% | 97.3% | 4.2% |
| Westborough | 2.71 | 40.0 | 6.5% | 37.9% | 6.0% | 1977 | $2,368 | 66.1% | 95.9% | 4.4% |
| Shrewsbury | 2.66 | 41.5 | 6.9% | 27.8% | 5.1% | 1978 | $2,217 | 65.1% | 95.7% | 2.1% |
| Morningdale | 2.48 | 46.1 | 4.8% | 24.3% | 3.5% | 1979 | $1,993 | 62.4% | 97.1% | 4.3% |
| Boylston | 2.49 | 48.7 | 5.3% | 20.5% | 2.1% | 1973 | $1,951 | 52.9% | 95.2% | 3.6% |
| Berlin | 2.36 | 49.2 | 5.5% | 22.2% | 3.3% | 1991 | $2,374 | 50.2% | 97.5% | 4.5% |
| Marlborough | 2.47 | 39.5 | 11.6% | 44.0% | 4.6% | 1971 | $1,921 | 40.5% | 87.5% | 5.4% |
| Southborough | 2.78 | 42.7 | 5.9% | 12.3% | 4.9% | 1981 | $2,452 | 75.9% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Hudson | 2.46 | 44.2 | 5.8% | 26.9% | 6.2% | 1974 | $1,391 | 46.4% | 91.6% | 4.9% |
| North Grafton | 2.61 | 39.8 | 7.7% | 18.5% | 4.0% | 1973 | $1,556 | 55.9% | 95.7% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Taylorville, IL · Bennettsville, SC · Bennington, NE · Berea, SC · Berkley, MI · Berthoud, CO · Bethlehem, GA · Big Rapids, MI · Birdsboro, PA · Blackshear, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Northborough. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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