Compare towns
Bedford vs Danvers vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Danvers has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
Billerica has the most homeowners (79.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bedford | Danvers | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,727Lowest |
28,098 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6 11% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
43.3±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
| Danvers and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.4% MA: 47.3% |
40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$125,395±$10kLowest 21% above MA |
$148,200±$8k 43% above MA |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
$644,200±$23k 15% above MA |
$612,000±$13kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$2,076±$192Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,282±$173 30% above MA |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,654 11% above MA |
$6,358Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.3%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Danvers and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.2% MA: 62.5% |
79.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Bedford High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.