Compare towns
Dracut vs Mapleton vs Billerica vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Billerica has the most people working from home (19.5%).
Middleborough has the most renters (23.1% 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 | Dracut | Mapleton | Billerica | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
1,884Lowest |
42,003Highest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Middleborough 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest 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 | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,358Highest 104% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Billerica and Middleborough 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 | — | #146 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Billerica Memorial High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | 14.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.