Compare towns
Lynn vs North Reading vs Brockton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
Brockton has the most affordable homes ($438k median).
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.
| Measure | Lynn | North Reading | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 101,709 |
15,765Lowest |
105,386Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
43±2.8Highest 8% above MA |
36.7±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Brockton and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| North Reading and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Brockton and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$80,115±$3k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$437,500±$8kLowest 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,641±$52Lowest 7% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,384 10% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$4,820Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 8% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #277 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynn | North Reading | Brockton |
| High school in town | Lynn English High | North Reading High | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.0 |
10.1Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.