Marlborough’s Economic Position
Marlborough sits at the center of MetroWest, offering exceptional regional connectivity and a diverse economic base. Its strong mix of employers, housing growth, and amenities positions the city as a competitive place to live, work, play, and invest.
Marlborough benefits from proximity to Worcester (10 miles) and Boston (30 miles), with major highways (I‑495, I‑290, Route 20) supporting daily inflows of 33,000 workers and outflows of 3,200 commuting residents . The city’s economy is anchored by major employers like Boston Scientific, Cytiva, Hologic, Raytheon, Moderna, and BJ’s, alongside hundreds of small businesses that give Marlborough its character. Recent redevelopment has added thousands of new housing units, accelerating the city’s transition from a suburban office center to a mixed‑use, innovation‑driven economy.
Share Your Thoughts
Marlborough Draft Forward Plan Community Survey
The Marlborough Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the City of Marlborough are seeking resident, business, and stakeholder feedback to help prioritize actions identified in the Draft: Marlborough Forward Plan. Your input will help shape future investments, land use decisions, economic development efforts, housing initiatives, and downtown improvements.
The Value Proposition
Marlborough’s value and desirability come from what residents, businesses, and visitors experience every day.
The plan outlines how Marlborough can measure and strengthen value through population growth, job creation, accessibility, tax generation, neighborhood quality, and perception. Value is created through scaled development, proximity to amenities, strong public services, and a reputation for being business‑friendly.
Key Economic Trends Shaping Our Future
Seven major trends are influencing Marlborough’s growth:
1 | Regional Employment Hub:
Marlborough gained 1,400 jobs (2019–2024), with strong growth in healthcare, management, and administrative services. Manufacturing, retail, and professional/technical services still represent over one‑third of all jobs despite pandemic‑related declines .
2 | Industrial & R&D Strength:
Over 9,000 jobs across 450 businesses are tied to advanced manufacturing, IT, scientific research, and healthcare.
3 | Retail, Dining & Recreation Vitality:
Marlborough attracts 24 million annual visits from non‑residents, plus 14.6 million visits from residents. Downtown alone draws 2.6 million visits annually, and popular destinations like the RK Center, Apex Entertainment, Raising Cane’s, and Chick-fil-A help fuel daily activity.
4 | Downtown as a Changing Asset:
Downtown is one of the city’s most visited destinations, with strong lunch/dinner peaks and growing mixed‑use housing demand.
5 | Underperforming Office & Flex Space:
Office vacancy sits at 17%, with older buildings struggling due to hybrid work trends and outdated layouts.
6 | Southwest Quadrant Transition:
Once the city’s strongest employment engine, parts of the district now face high vacancy and redevelopment pressure.
7 | Housing Availability & Affordability:
Owner vacancy is 0.2%, rental vacancy 4.7%, and 60% of homes sell over asking. Rents have risen 59% in 10 years, and home prices have doubled while incomes rose only 40%.
Annual Visitors to the City
Downtown Annual Visits
%
Office Vacancy
%
Homeowner Vacancy
(low housing stock to purchase)
Opportunities & Challenges Ahead
$3.5M
Annual net new revenue possible from strategic redevelopment
7 per 100
23%
55%
Opportunities:
- Regional Innovation Hub: Leverage location between Boston & Worcester and existing R&D clusters.
- Redevelopment Potential: Underutilized office parks can be repositioned for life sciences, advanced manufacturing, or mixed‑use.
- Housing Demand: Continued population growth supports strategic residential development.
- Downtown Strength: Walkable, mixed‑use environment ideal for small business growth.
- Transportation & Infrastructure: Full water/sewer system and strong highway access give Marlborough a competitive edge.
Challenges:
- Office Market Shift: Hybrid work reduces demand for traditional office space.
- Employment District Transition: Southwest Quadrant faces vacancy and redevelopment pressure.
- Infrastructure Alignment: Growth must match municipal service capacity.
- Housing Affordability: More than half of renters are cost‑burdened.
- Aging Housing Stock: Limited diversity of housing types for smaller households.
Themes Guiding the Next Chapter
Five strategic themes guide Marlborough’s next decade of growth:
1 | Build Upon Marlborough’s Employment Hub Status:
Target R&D, engineering, IT, health sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
2 | Reimagine Underperforming Places:
Strategically rezone areas like Forest Street, Nickerson Road, and Route 20 to support mixed‑use or higher‑value redevelopment.
3 | Reinforce Downtown as a Center of Community Life:
Expand mixed‑use development, reduce zoning barriers, enhance streetscape and branding, encourage more dining, entertainment, and public spaces.
4 | Expand Housing Opportunities:
Introduce missing‑middle housing, ease zoning restrictions, increase affordable units, and modernize CDA programs.
5 | Guide Growth Responsibly:
Align development with infrastructure capacity, update fiscal impact tools, and coordinate capital planning.
Monitoring & Evaluation
A structured evaluation framework ensures Marlborough stays on track.
The plan recommends annual tracking of key indicators, including job growth, business activity, housing production and affordability, infrastructure capacity, and the fiscal impacts of new development. Measures such as changes in assessed value, building and housing permits issued, commercial vacancy rates, rental and ownership vacancy rates, and school enrollment trends allow the City to adjust its strategies as conditions change. This ongoing evaluation keeps Marlborough resilient, adaptable, and future ready.
In Summary
The Marlborough Draft Forward Plan is about balance, thoughtful growth, and protecting what makes the city special. It’s about opportunity and community, ensuring Marlborough remains a place where people can live, work, play, and invest in with confidence and pride. It reflects our shared vision for a city that continues to innovate, attract investment, support local businesses, and offer an exceptional quality of life for all who call Marlborough home.