City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Brockton, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brockton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

105,080
Residents
$77,089
Median income
$405,500
Median home
$2,311
Median rent (state)

Brockton - the verdict

Nationally, Brockton sits in the 58th percentile for household income and the 33rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

58th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
33rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brockton, MA

105,080 people live in Brockton, Massachusetts - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Brockton brings in $77,089 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Typical homes in Brockton are valued around $405,500, and the median resident age is 36.5 years. Educational attainment runs 21.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 45 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 29% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1944.7 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 51.4°F with 50.2 inches of precipitation per year and 34.3 inches of snowfall.

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,311 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Brockton report an average commute of 29.9 minutes, with 71.8% driving alone and 6.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

105,080 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$77,089 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Brockton compare to other US cities?

Brockton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 58% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 33% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Brockton ranks #135 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Brockton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Brockton near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Brockton ranks #229 - the 7th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Brockton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#171 of 233
27th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#101 of 247
39th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#168 of 240
30th percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#43 of 247
82nd percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#229 of 247
7th percentile in Massachusetts

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

58thIncome percentile
33rdSafety percentile

58th percentile nationally for median household income · 33rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Brockton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Brockton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Brockton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Brockton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$405,500 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brockton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brockton, MA Brockton, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brockton, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brockton, MA median $77,089/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brockton, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brockton, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
105,080
Median Income
$77,089
Median Home Value
$405,500
Median Age
36.5
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
61.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1944.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
599.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1345.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.4°F
Annual Precipitation
50.2"
Annual Snowfall
34.3"

Schools

Total Schools
25
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
105,000 residents105,500 residents106,000 residents106,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 105,481 residents 106,134 residents ▲ +0.6%
Brockton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
45
housing units authorized
Single-Family
29
detached homes
Multifamily
16
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 35
2020 31
2021 143
2022 35
2023 61
2024 45

Permit volume increased 29% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
29.9 minutes
Drive Alone
71.8%
Carpool
12.5%
Public Transit
5.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
6.3%
Other
3.0%

Based on 48,461 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brockton sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,311/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Quincy
101,361 people
Lynn
100,905 people
New Bedford
100,731 people
Lowell
114,799 people
Fall River
93,764 people
Cambridge
117,794 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brockton's 105,080 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Burbank, CA
105,165 people
San Tan Valley, AZ
105,231 people
El Cajon, CA
104,909 people
Renton, WA
105,279 people
Spokane Valley, WA
105,460 people
Inglewood, CA
105,575 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brockton's $77,089 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Clayville, NY
$77,083 median income
Holmen, WI
$77,083 median income
Jefferson, WI
$77,095 median income
Glendale, WI
$77,096 median income
Desoto Acres, FL
$77,102 median income
Bevil Oaks, TX
$77,073 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brockton, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brockton, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 29.2% 38.3% 11.5% 18.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.9% White 29.2% Black or African American 38.3% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 11.5% Two or more races 18.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brockton compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brockton (this city) 105,080 $77,089
Quincy 101,361 $95,711
Lynn 100,905 $74,715
New Bedford 100,731 $56,025
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brockton, MA?

What is the population of Brockton, MA? +

Brockton, MA counts 105,080 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brockton, MA? +

In Brockton, the typical household earns $77,089 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brockton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brockton; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Brockton, MA safe? +

Brockton has a total crime rate of 1944.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Brockton, MA? +

Brockton's median home value sits at $405,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Brockton? +

The average annual temperature in Brockton runs 51.4°F, 50.2 inches of precipitation, and 34.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.