Hopkins receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brockton
Hopkins
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 13%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Brockton | Hopkins | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 105,386 | 18,819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,115 | $75,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,830 | $48,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,940/sq mi | 4,635/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $437,500 | $375,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,641 | $1,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 36.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 12.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | -97.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 30.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.1 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Hopkins
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Brockton, MA · Hopkins, MN · How this is calculated: methodology