Compare towns
Billerica vs Pelham vs Dracut
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).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
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 | Pelham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
14,449Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 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% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest 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% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% 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. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358 104% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Pelham School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Pelham High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.