Compare towns
Whitman vs Wakefield 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 most homeowners (71.4%).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Wakefield | Brockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295Lowest |
27,793 |
105,386Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
36.7±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Wakefield 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 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest 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% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Brockton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$80,115±$3kLowest 23% below MA |
| Wakefield and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$437,500±$8kLowest 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,641±$52Lowest 7% below MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$4,820Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.5%±4.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #191 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #279 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | Brockton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Brockton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 17.0 |
| 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.