Compare towns
Billerica vs Hooksett vs Braintree Town
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 highest household income ($148k).
Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.4%).
Braintree Town has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Hooksett | Braintree Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
5,876Lowest |
38,899 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.6±2 10% above U.S. |
41.3±1.2Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Braintree Town and Billerica 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% |
20.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Braintree Town and Hooksett 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. |
$101,053±$25kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$122,214±$10k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
$348,100±$32kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$656,800±$14kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,811±$283Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$2,024±$195 43% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358Highest 104% above U.S. |
$4,960Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,436 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree Town and Hooksett 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Billerica and Braintree Town 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #84 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | — | Braintree |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | — | Braintree High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Lowest |
— | 15.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.