Hopkins receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hopkins
Brockton
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs61 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Hopkins | Brockton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,819 | 105,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,234 | $80,115 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,787 | $35,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,635/sq mi | 4,940/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $375,600 | $437,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,468 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.5% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 22.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 41 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -97.7% | -10.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 53.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 34.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 36.7 | 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
Hopkins
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Brockton
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Full profiles: Hopkins, MN · Brockton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology