What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockport has the most people working from home (22%).

Gloucester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.3%).

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	Rockport	Gloucester
People
Population	7,009Lowest	30,075Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+3.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	59.7±3.3Highest 49% above MA	50.2±2.3Lowest 26% above MA
Kids under 18	13.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Gloucester and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%	27.9%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.2%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Gloucester and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,250±$15kHighest 7% below MA	$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA
	Rockport and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$746,100±$47kHighest 33% above MA	$600,600±$18kLowest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,851±$219Highest 5% above MA	$1,411±$94Lowest 20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,215Highest 4% above MA	$6,152Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	71.1%±17Highest MA: 51.8%	55.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Rockport and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Lowest MA: 10%	9.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest about the MA average	24 minLowest 18% below MA
Work from home	22%±5.4Highest MA: 18.6%	12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#124 of 282 in MA	#164 of 282 in MA
School district	Rockport	Gloucester
High school in town	Rockport Middle High	Gloucester High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.3Lowest	10.0Highest
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.