Population 22,789 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Billerica
Household size in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.74 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.84 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.65 people per household, Billerica sits right at the national average. The typical household here is bigger than in the Boston area as a whole, where it has 2.55 people. Household size has dropped from 2.85 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.1 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.2 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.4, Billerica is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 38.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Billerica than nationally: 8.7%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Boston area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Billerica
Renters in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Billerica is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over a third of owners (35.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 1.8% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 1.8% of homes in Billerica are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 11 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Billerica run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. Even so, homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,312 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,262 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,681 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,337 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,025 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Billerica costs $2,337 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,025 a month since 2006–10, up 78%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 24.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Billerica
Bachelor's degrees in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.0% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.6% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Billerica (40.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in the wider Boston area (51.9%). The share with a degree has risen 7.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.2% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.8% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Billerica: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Billerica
| Period | Billerica | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Billerica has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Billerica compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billerica | 2.65 | 44.4 | 8.7% | 21.8% | 1.8% | 1973 | $2,337 | 40.6% | 95.0% | 3.1% |
| Pinehurst | 2.93 | 43.2 | 6.1% | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1976 | $2,061 | 36.7% | 91.4% | 2.5% |
| North Billerica | 2.59 | 40.0 | 11.7% | 28.7% | 1.0% | 1982 | $2,125 | 40.9% | 92.1% | 5.7% |
| Riverside | 3.15 | 45.3 | 6.8% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1978 | $3,501 | 88.7% | 98.2% | 2.4% |
| Tewksbury | 2.66 | 45.6 | 6.2% | 15.5% | 3.0% | 1978 | $2,093 | 40.3% | 92.9% | 3.3% |
| Bedford | 2.51 | 45.0 | 4.1% | 31.3% | 2.8% | 1973 | $2,394 | 68.7% | 96.1% | 5.1% |
| Wilmington | 2.92 | 42.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | 3.1% | 1978 | $2,637 | 50.4% | 96.9% | 4.8% |
| Burlington | 2.62 | 45.9 | 5.7% | 25.7% | 4.5% | 1974 | $2,524 | 58.3% | 95.7% | 4.5% |
| Carlisle | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.3% | 6.4% | 2.3% | 1976 | $2,354 | 87.4% | 98.9% | 4.1% |
| Chelmsford | 2.75 | 42.8 | 5.9% | 17.7% | 6.7% | 1969 | $2,251 | 55.5% | 93.9% | 6.6% |
| Lowell | 2.73 | 35.4 | 17.8% | 56.8% | 5.3% | 1953 | $1,628 | 29.2% | 82.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mckees Rocks, PA · Jesup, GA · Joshua, TX · Junction City, KS · Keene, NH · Kennett Square, PA · King George, VA · Latham, NY · Aberdeen, MD · Leesburg, GA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Billerica. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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