Compare towns
Billerica vs Lowell vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Billerica has the most people working from home (19.5%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Lowell | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003 |
118,368Highest |
32,574Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Lowell and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,200±$8kHighest 43% above MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13kHighest 9% above MA |
$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173Highest 30% above MA |
$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$1,839±$130 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358Highest 6% above MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #146 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Lowell | Dracut |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Lowell High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1 |
14.8Highest |
12.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.