Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham vs Windham 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 affordable homes ($474k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Pelham | Windham | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
14,449Lowest |
16,038 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 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%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Billerica 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8k 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,282±$173 62% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,358 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Windham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | Windham School District | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School | Windham High School | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.