Compare towns
Dracut vs Orange 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 the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
Billerica has the most expensive homes ($612k 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 | Dracut | Orange | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
320Lowest |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.3±1.6Highest 11% 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 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Orange 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%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange 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% |
37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3Highest 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±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$118,750±$39k 47% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$302,600±$35kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
— | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$5,132Lowest 65% above U.S. |
$6,358Highest 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% |
42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Billerica 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% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.8%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange 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 | — | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | — | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | — | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.1Highest |
| 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.