What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Exeter
People
Population	42,003Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
	Exeter and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Billerica and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter 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.	$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S.	$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,358Lowest 104% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	19.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter 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	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Billerica Memorial High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.1Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	59 photos →

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.