Compare towns
Dracut vs Worcester vs Everett vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k median).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Billerica has the most people working from home (19.5%).
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 | Worcester | Everett | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Lowest |
207,055Highest |
50,045 |
42,003 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
43.3±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$148,200±$8kHighest 43% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$612,000±$13kHighest 9% above MA |
| Billerica and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,282±$173Highest 30% above MA |
| Billerica and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$6,358Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
42.3%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | South High Community | Everett High | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.