Northborough, Massachusetts Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Northborough is a small city located in Massachusetts, within Worcester County. The total population is 6,392. It ranks as the 102nd most populous out of 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts.

Age Demographics

The median age in Northborough is 48.8 years. This is 22% higher than the state median of 40.0 years. 10.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Northborough is $133,839. This is 29% higher than the state median of $103,960. It is also 66% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.1%. This is 79% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $560,500. Housing costs are about the same as the state median of $562,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 83.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 62.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Northborough is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.2%. The Black or African American population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (6.2%) is well below the state average of 13.3%.

Education

64.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% higher than the state rate of 47.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.2%. Notably, 31.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Northborough, Massachusetts is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Massachusetts state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 248 Census-designated places in Massachusetts. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.