Compare towns
Dracut vs Everett vs Upton vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Billerica has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Dracut | Everett | Upton | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
50,045Highest |
8,189Lowest |
42,003 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.3±1.6 8% above MA |
| Upton and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$148,200±$8k 43% above MA |
| Upton and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$612,000±$13kHighest 9% above MA |
| Billerica and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,282±$173Highest 30% above MA |
| Billerica and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,358 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
42.3%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Everett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Everett High | Blackstone Valley | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.1 |
11.2Lowest |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.