Compare towns
Billerica vs Windham 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,003Highest |
16,038Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Billerica and Dracut 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,282±$173 62% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,358 104% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 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 |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Windham School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.