Compare towns
Whitman vs Smithfield 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
Whitman has the highest household income ($109k).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Smithfield | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Lowest |
22,233 |
105,386Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
36.7±0.8Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Smithfield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$80,115±$3kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Whitman and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$437,500±$8kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,641±$52 16% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$4,820Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Smithfield | Brockton |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Lowest |
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.