Compare towns
Dracut vs Stratham 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%).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Billerica has the oldest population (median age 43.3).
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 | Stratham | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
7,754Lowest |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% 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% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8k 84% above U.S. |
| Stratham 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 42% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,282±$173 62% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,358 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%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. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.