Compare towns
Carlisle vs Pinehurst vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carlisle has the most people working from home (38.5%).
Pinehurst has the most homeowners (97.4%).
Billerica has the most renters (20.6% rent).
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 | Carlisle | Pinehurst | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,239Lowest |
6,845 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.1Highest 13% above MA |
42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
43.3±1.6 8% above MA |
| Carlisle and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.4%±5.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
18%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Carlisle and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
18%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Carlisle and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 87.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Billerica and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
$148,200±$8k 43% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,103,900±$46kHighest 96% above MA |
$623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$612,000±$13kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$855Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$2,282±$173Highest 30% above MA |
| Billerica and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$6,358 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77%±21.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.3%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 1.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% MA: 62.5% |
97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 21% above MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 38.5%±8.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 282 in MA | — | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Carlisle | — | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.1 |
| 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.