Compare towns
Springfield vs Chaplin vs Brockton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Brockton has the most expensive 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 | Springfield | Chaplin | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
2,070Lowest |
105,386 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
43.7±4.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
36.7±0.8 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brockton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$80,115±$3k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$255,200±$24k 23% below U.S. |
$437,500±$8kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$1,641±$52Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brockton and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,524 45% above U.S. |
$4,820Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±4.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | — | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Brockton |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Parish Hill High School | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
7.5Lowest |
17.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.