Cambridge receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brockton
Cambridge
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Brockton | Cambridge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,386 | 118,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,115 | $130,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,830 | $78,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,940/sq mi | 18,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $437,500 | $1,092,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,641 | $2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | 361.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.80 | 9.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.5% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.3% | 54.6% | 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
Brockton
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Brockton, MA · Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology