City · Massachusetts
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Marlborough, city, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Marlborough had 42,772 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 41,793 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 41,647 (±46). GEOID 2538715.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
42,772
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 41,793 · ACS 2020-2024: 41,647 ±46
Median household income
$91,968
±$9,070 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $103,960
Median home value
$513,100
±$28,290 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $562,100
Median gross rent
$1,871
±$123 (90% margin)
Massachusetts: $1,762
Where is Marlborough and what county is it in?
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It covers 20.9 square miles of land, 2,003 residents per square mile in 2020.
Marlborough is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Marlborough, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 42,772 people lived in Marlborough on July 1, 2025, up 2.4% since 2020, faster than Massachusetts (+1.7%). The 2020 Census counted 41,793 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 41,647 (±46).
| Measure | Marlborough | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 41,647 ±46 | 1,638,365 | +1,911 |
| Households | 16,665 ±650 | 634,215 | +935 |
| Average household size | 2.46 ±0.10 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 17,247 ±700 | 664,267 | no clear change |
Marlborough's population since 2000
From 36,255 in 2000 to 42,772 in 2025: up 18.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Marlborough as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Marlborough?
The median resident of Marlborough is 37.5 years old; 20.8% are under 18 and 14.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 54.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 18.0%. 30.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Marlborough | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 ±1.3 | 38.9 | −2.3 |
| Under 18 years | 20.8% ±1.3 pts | 19.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.9% ±1.5 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Male | 49.1% ±1.7 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 18.0% ±3.1 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 54.1% ±3.8 pts | 65.1% | −15.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±1.5 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±1.7 pts | 13.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 15.1% ±2.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±1.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 30.8% ±3.4 pts | 23.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 42.2% ±4.0 pts | 29.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.0% ±1.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| With a disability | 10.4% ±1.6 pts | 9.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.3% ±1.3 pts | 2.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.9% ±2.0 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 40.5% ±3.2 pts | 59.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.2% ±2.2 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.4% ±3.0 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±0.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Marlborough earn?
Half of Marlborough's 16,665 households earn less than $91,968 a year (±$9,070), against $130,847 in Middlesex County and $103,960 in Massachusetts. In 2015-2019 it was $99,616 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Marlborough | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $91,968 ±$9,070 | $130,847 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $115,215 ±$6,446 | $178,070 | – |
| Per capita income | $46,241 ±$2,733 | $69,556 | −$4,792 |
| People below the poverty line | 9.6% ±1.9 pts | 7.7% | +4.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.4% ±3.3 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.2% ±2.2 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.1% ±2.0 pts | 97.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.2% ±2.3 pts | 94.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Marlborough?
Owners occupy 56.0% of Marlborough's occupied homes and renters 44.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $513,100 by its owner (±$28,290). The median renter pays $1,871 a month including utilities, and 49.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Marlborough | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $513,100 ±$28,290 | $727,800 | +$84,203 |
| Median gross rent | $1,871 ±$123 | $2,201 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 49.6% ±5.9 pts | 37.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,587 ±$142 | $3,224 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.0% ±3.4 pts | 61.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.0% ±3.4 pts | 38.7% | – |
| Housing units | 17,247 ±700 | 664,267 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.7% ±1.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 43.6% ±3.2 pts | 46.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.1% ±1.4 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.8% ±2.8 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.1% ±2.5 pts | 10.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Marlborough building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Marlborough in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.1 per 1,000 residents against 1.7 across Massachusetts.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Marlborough work and get to work?
65.2% of Marlborough's workers drive alone and 16.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.5%.
| Measure | Marlborough | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.2% ±2.1 pts | 69.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±1.7 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 65.2% ±3.2 pts | 54.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.3% ±2.5 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.9% ±0.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.2% ±2.4 pts | 24.7% | +10.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.7 min ±1.9 | 29.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Marlborough?
7 census tracts lie mostly in Marlborough (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $72,143 (Tract 3213.01) to $116,532 (Tract 3214).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3215Middlesex County | 7,561 | $107,912 |
| Tract 3216Middlesex County | 7,498 | $104,375 |
| Tract 3212Middlesex County | 7,442 | $96,164 |
| Tract 3211Middlesex County | 6,976 | $86,250 |
| Tract 3213.01Middlesex County | 4,687 | $72,143 |
| Tract 3214Middlesex County | 4,466 | $116,532 |
| Tract 3213.02Middlesex County | 3,017 | $100,227 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Marlborough) · Census block assignment files
How does Marlborough compare with other places in Massachusetts?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Marlborough is the 967th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 33rd-most populous of 58 in Massachusetts.
Marlborough ranks 321st of 453 places in Massachusetts with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 33rd | 58 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 110th | 292 |
| Residents per square mile | 84th | 461 |
| Median household income | 321st | 453 |
| Per capita income | 361st | 460 |
| Median home value | 235th | 459 |
| Median gross rent | 117th | 410 |
| Poverty rate | 84th | 338 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 292nd | 459 |
| Median age | 422nd | 461 |
| Owner-occupied share | 414th | 460 |
| Work from home | 253rd | 429 |
| Travel time to work | 236th | 459 |
Marlborough's figures with every place in Massachusetts (CSV)
Every place in Massachusetts, sortable · Compare Marlborough with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Marlborough?
4 of the 57 figures for Marlborough on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Marlborough are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Marlborough.