What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brockton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brockton	Gardner
People
Population	105,386Highest	21,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.7±0.8Lowest 8% below MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	14.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Brockton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,115±$3kHighest 23% below MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$437,500±$8kHighest 22% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,641±$52Highest 7% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,820Highest 20% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.5%±4.2Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Brockton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.5%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#279 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Brockton	Gardner
High school in town	Brockton High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	17.0Highest	13.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA 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.