Northborough, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Northborough, MA Summary

Cost of living in Northborough research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Northborough is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Northborough is 145, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Northborough is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Northborough ranks as the #64 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.

  • Northborough ranks as the #5,566 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Northborough is $684,513.

  • The median income in Northborough is $154,926.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
145
Northborough's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Northborough, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Northborough has an overall cost of living index of 145, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Northborough has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.

The standard of living in Northborough ranks as #64 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Northborough ranks as the #48 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Northborough, check out:

64 out of 112
In Massachusetts
5,566 out of 6,489
In America

Northborough Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Northborough. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Northborough is 122.

  • The Groceries index in Northborough is 107.

  • The Health index in Northborough is 115.

  • The Housing index in Northborough is 199.

  • The Transportation index in Northborough is 118.

  • The Utilities index in Northborough is 135.

Living Expense Northborough Massachusetts National Average
Overall 145 134 100
Services 122 121 100
Groceries 107 106 100
Health 115 112 100
Housing 199 164 100
Transportation 118 120 100
Utilities 135 136 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Northborough Cost of Living Vs. MA

Northborough, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Northborough is $684,513.

  • The Median Rent in Northborough is $1,219.

  • The Median Income in Northborough is $154,926.

  • The Home Value To Income in Northborough is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Northborough is 0.09x.

Statistic Northborough Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $684,513 $649,115 $303,400
Median Rent $1,219 $1,687 $1,348
Median Income $154,926 $101,341 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 6.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.09x 0.2x 0.21x
$684,513
Median Home Value
$1,219
Median Rent
$154,926
Median Income

Northborough, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Northborough Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northborough Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.49 $1.28
Movie $15.49 $12.13
Bowling $29.33 $18
Haircut $43.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.56 $45.56

Detailed Northborough Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northborough Massachusetts
Ground Beef $5.48 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.45 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.99 $4.93
Pizza $12.52 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.53 $3.7

Detailed Northborough Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northborough Massachusetts
Optometrist $123.17 $125.68
Doctor $157.89 $135.78
Dentist $149.22 $113.29

Detailed Northborough Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northborough Massachusetts
Gasoline $3.43 $3.46
Tire Balancing $97.39 $59.92

Detailed Northborough Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Northborough Massachusetts
All Electricity $302.72 $193.99
Phone $187.85 $192.25

Northborough SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
7
Safety
9
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Northborough

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Northborough. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Worcester, MA has a cost of living index of 115, 0.8x Northborough.

  • Marlborough, MA has a cost of living index of 138, 1.0x Northborough.

  • Wellesley, MA has a cost of living index of 243, 1.7x Northborough.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Northborough
Worcester, MA 205,501 115 0.8x
Marlborough, MA 41,398 138 1.0x
Wellesley, MA 29,906 243 1.7x
Hudson, MA 15,610 134 0.9x
Maynard, MA 10,663 138 1.0x
Clinton, MA 6,908 123 0.8x
Cochituate, MA 6,688 191 1.3x
Medfield, MA 6,355 173 1.2x
West Concord, MA 5,997 183 1.3x

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