Compare towns
Dracut vs Middlesex vs Putney vs Billerica
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%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Billerica has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Middlesex | Putney | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
1,943Lowest |
2,622 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$148,200±$8kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$6,358 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Putney 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | None in town | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | — | 14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.