The Middlesex Canal was completed in Wilmington in the early 19th century and residents were able to ship their produce to market. The largest shipments were of hops, since Wilmington became one of the largest producers of hops in the state, growing 8,200 tons of hops worth $2.2 million by 1837. An early railroad corridor connected Wilmington to Boston and Lowell in 1835 and to Andover in 1836 and trolley lines were established in the late 19th century. The town had a primarily agricultural economy, with residents growing fruit, vegetables and cranberries, but also had a number of slaughterhouses.

The major industry in Wilmington, however, was the Perry, Cutler and Company tannery. Since 1940 the population more than quadrupled with particular growth between 1950 and 1965 after the completion of Route 128.

Wilmington Mass is located in Northeastern Massachusetts, bordered by Andover on the north; North Reading and Reading on the east; Worburn on the south; and Burlington, Billerica, and Tewksbury on the west. Wilmington is 11 miles southeast of Lowell, 15 miles north of Boston.