What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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

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	Gardner	Brockton
People
Population	21,148Lowest	105,386Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	36.7±0.8Lowest 8% below MA
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	14.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.7Highest 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	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA	$80,115±$3kHighest 23% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA	$437,500±$8kHighest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA	$1,641±$52Highest 7% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA	$4,820Highest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.5%±4.2Highest 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	13.7%Highest MA: 10%	13.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#273 of 282 in MA	#279 of 282 in MA
School district	Gardner	Brockton
High school in town	Gardner High	Brockton High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Lowest	17.0Highest
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.