Marlborough, MA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Massachusetts·Marlborough

Middlesex County · Boston-Cambridge-Newton · population 42,169

Marlborough, MA
Image: Wikipedia · Marlborough, Massachusetts
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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63
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Marlborough stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $585,316
1-year +0.3%
5-yr CAGR +5.1%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$585k$297k$401k$505k$609k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
76/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,595/mo$1,858$2,335$2,813202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent128130100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.8
Lean buy

At a 18.8 price-to-rent ratio, Marlborough is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
52 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
89 · w18%
Population growth
49 · w16%
Rent YoY
49 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
69 · w10%
Long thesis

Marlborough has held up across the cycle: home values at $585,316 with +5.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Marlborough's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Marlborough

Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 42,169. It anchors the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. The median home value in Marlborough is $585,316 as of 2026-04, up 0.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Marlborough average $2,595 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.6%). The composite momentum score is 63 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Marlborough (Wikipedia)

Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 41,793 at the 2020 census. Marlborough became a prosperous industrial town in the 19th century and made the transition to high technology industry in the late 20th century after the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike. It is part of the Worcester metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Middlesex County right now.

NWS active alerts (MA)Massachusetts Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Middlesex County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Marlborough

20 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Carlsbrooke$998,137+0.7%
2Concord Road West$892,256+0.1%
3Concord Road East$821,965+1.0%
4Farmingham Road$736,122+2.2%
5West Hill$724,048+3.7%
6Millham$702,399-0.6%
7Jericho Hill$659,628+0.6%
8Fort Meadow$635,014+1.2%
9Kings View/ Miles Standish$623,461+1.4%
10Elm Street$617,103-2.3%
11Apple Hill$616,093-0.0%
12Old Mitchell School$575,211+1.3%
13Glenbrook$567,780-1.6%
14Church Street$554,110+0.8%
15Farm Road$527,577+0.5%
16Wilson Street$493,484+4.4%
17Indian Head$487,716+0.7%
18South of Main$482,872-1.8%
19North of Main$481,485-3.2%
20French Hill$450,109+0.3%

Cities like Marlborough

Salem, MA64 · RisingFramingham, MA59 · StablePeabody, MA61 · StableLynn, MA65 · Rising

Run the numbers for Marlborough

ToolCan I afford Marlborough?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Marlborough rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Marlborough to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMarlborough cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
200
~55% of year
Annual precip
48″ rain
43″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Marlborough listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$96,500
Massachusetts state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechBiotechEducation/Healthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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