Compare towns
Whitman vs Salem vs Brockton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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.
| Measure | Whitman | Salem | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Lowest |
44,795 |
105,386Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8Highest about the MA average |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
36.7±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Whitman and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Brockton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Salem and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% MA: 47.3% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kHighest 5% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$80,115±$3kLowest 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$437,500±$8kLowest 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,641±$52Lowest 7% below MA |
| Salem and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$4,820Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8 MA: 51.8% |
54.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
13.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
57.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Salem | Brockton |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
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.