Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Brockton, MA
🏆 Brockton leads 12 of 22 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Brockton
Massachusetts
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$74,016
Violent Crime Index
158⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
104,713
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $15,196 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (6.6%)
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Brockton, MA
Pros
Homes cost $320k less ($364,700 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $535/mo less ($1,446 vs $1,981)
5% less violent crime than Boston
Cons
Violent crime (599.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Boston by $15,196/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Higher unemployment (8.2% vs 6.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$15,196
$89,212 vs $74,016/yr
Boston
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
6.6% vs 8.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 111.6 on the COL index
Brockton
Violent Crime
5% lower
599.2 vs 627.9 per 100k
Brockton
Median Home Value
$320k less
$364,700 vs $684,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Brockton, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 111.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $364,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,446⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $74,016 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 5.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 120⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 158⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 20.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% ✓ Higher | 81.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | Brockton |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 38.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 84.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" ✓ Drier | 50.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 34.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 104,713 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 36.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 56.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Brockton's 111.6 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Brockton leads 12 of 22 categories. Boston wins 10 and Brockton wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Boston to Brockton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $364,700 median home), income ($89,212 vs $74,016), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Brockton, MA are about 18 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.