Compare towns
Billerica vs Dracut vs Pelham
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 expensive homes ($612k median).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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.
| Measure | Billerica | Dracut | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
32,574 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Dracut 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%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%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% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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±$8kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358 104% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Dracut | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.9 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.