Compare towns
Billerica vs Dracut vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Billerica has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Billerica | Dracut | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
32,574 |
14,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6 8% above MA |
41.7±2Lowest 4% 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% |
21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dracut and Bedford 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% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±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±$8k 43% above MA |
$114,036±$10kLowest 10% 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±$13k 9% above MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173 30% above MA |
$1,839±$130Lowest 4% 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 | $6,358 6% above MA |
$5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Billerica 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% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #146 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #7 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Dracut | Bedford |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Dracut Senior High | Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.9 |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.