Compare towns
Dracut vs Worcester vs Ripton 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).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Worcester | Ripton | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
831 |
508Lowest |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Billerica 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% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$6,358Highest 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Ripton 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% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 | 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.