What stands out worked out from the figures below

Billerica has the most affordable homes ($612k median).

Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Billerica	Bedford
People
Population	42,003Highest	14,727Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±1.6Lowest 8% above MA	44.3±1.6Highest 11% above MA
	Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2.7Highest 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+	18%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
	Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest MA: 47.3%	69.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.5%±1.9Highest 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	$148,200±$8kLowest 43% above MA	$172,400±$23kHighest 66% 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	$612,000±$13kLowest 9% above MA	$898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,282±$173Lowest 30% above MA	$2,622±$327Highest 49% 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	$6,358Lowest 6% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.3%±8.9Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Billerica and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%	5.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% below MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	19.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#146 of 282 in MA	#7 of 282 in MA
School district	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical	Bedford
High school in town	Billerica Memorial High School	Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.