Compare towns
Billerica vs Dracut vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Billerica has the most renters (20.6% rent).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
32,574 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Newfields 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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 84% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358 104% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Dracut | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.