14. Westborough, Mass.
| AT A GLANCE | |
| Population | 18,898 |
| Median Income | $99,394 |
| Job Growth | 5.2% |
| Median Home Price | $369,775 |
| Property Tax | $7,603 |
Go West, young family! With a median single-family home price under $400,000, Westborough offers an outpost of affordability in the greater Boston area. Although it’s 30 miles outside the city, Westborough’s proximity to the Massachusetts Turnpike puts commuters on the path of least resistance into Cambridge and Boston -- 45 minutes to an hour or so in heavy traffic. The journey by train takes over an hour.
There are good jobs closer to home too. Large employers in town include BJ’s Wholesale Club, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and Integrated Genetics -- and next-door Worcester has numerous large employers in technology, life sciences, financial services, and health care, including the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Medical Center.
There’s not a ton going on after dark in this sleepy town of about 18,000, but during daylight hours, residents get outside on extensive conservation lands protected by the Westborough Community Land Trust and in the 427-acre Westboro Wildlife Management Area (where hikers and bikers share the land with hunters). The public school ranks high in statewide comparisons, with 20% minority enrollment (majority Asian), and nearly a 99% graduation rate. Parents here are smart, too -- 57% of adult residents have a higher-education degree, among the highest rates in a smart state.—Adam Bluestein