Compare towns
Billerica vs Hooksett vs Bedford
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Hooksett | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
15,057 |
14,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±1.6Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford 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% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford 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% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Bedford 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. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$172,400±$23kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| 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 84% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$898,500±$43kHighest 170% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173 62% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,622±$327Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358Lowest 104% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Billerica and Bedford 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% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #146 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #7 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Hooksett School District | Bedford |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | None in town | Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| 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.