The original economic base depended on farming and grazing with lumbering as a secondary activity, and a saw mill was established on Trull Brook about 1736. By the early 19th century the Lee family tannery had been built and continued in operation throughout the century. The primarily agricultural economy of the town shifted in the direction of commercial businesses because of its proximity to Lowell. In 1854, the state opened an almshouse in Tewksbury, one of three established by the General Court. The complex of buildings generally held an average of 1000 inmates, and even more after the financial panic of 1857.

Residents of Tewksbury developed greenhouses and market gardens between 1890 and 1915 as the town's dominant business, while many hothouses raised carnations and other flowers commercially for city markets. So many were raised that Tewksbury held the name of the carnation town for years. In 1930, New England Power built the Tewksbury substation, bringing power from Vermont over a 230 kv line, the highest voltage line in New England at the time.

Tewksbury Mass is located in Northeastern Massachusetts, bordered by Lowell on the west, Dracut on the north, Andover on the northeast, Wilmington on the southeast, and Billerica on the south. Tewksbury is 4 miles southeast of Lowell, 21 miles north of Boston, and 230 miles from New York City.