What stands out worked out from the figures below

Billerica has the highest household income ($148k).

Chelmsford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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	Chelmsford
People
Population	42,003Highest	36,446Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±1.6Highest 8% above MA	41.6±1.9Lowest 4% above MA
	Billerica and Chelmsford 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%	21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Chelmsford 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%	18.1%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Chelmsford 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%	52.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Billerica and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$148,200±$8kHighest 43% above MA	$140,629±$8kLowest 35% above MA
	Billerica and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,000±$13kHighest 9% above MA	$593,700±$17kLowest 6% above MA
	Billerica and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,282±$173Highest 30% above MA	$2,062±$151Lowest 17% above MA
	Billerica and Chelmsford 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	$8,047Highest 34% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.3%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.7%±10Highest MA: 51.8%
	Chelmsford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest MA: 10%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	19.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Chelmsford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#146 of 282 in MA	#79 of 282 in MA
School district	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical	Chelmsford
High school in town	Billerica Memorial High School	Chelmsford High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	14.0Lowest
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.