02301 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02301
01843
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 8%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
62 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 14%
vs41 · Bottom 6%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs23 · Bottom 14%
Access
93 · Top 50%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 46%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 02301 | 01843 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,969 | 27,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,214 | $67,585 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,952 | $34,352 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,541/sq mi | 8,134/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $449,400 | $429,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,659 | $1,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | 9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.2 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.33 | 12.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.2% | 11.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.7% | 20.8% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
02301
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
01843
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Full profiles: 02301 — Brockton, MA · 01843 — Lawrence, MA · How this is calculated: methodology