Places › Massachusetts › Brockton

Living in Brockton, MA

Suburb in Massachusetts

Brockton is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 105,000 people, with 3.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Brockton a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 16 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: BOS is 19 mi away
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 10 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 1.16% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $504k, and rent is $2,890 a month

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Brockton ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
105,000
3.5 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
41°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 34″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$504k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,890/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
108
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,502
State income tax per resident · 1.16% property tax
Safety
2.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
16
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
21%
9 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BOS
19 mi away

Living in Brockton: common questions

What is the cost of living in Brockton?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $504k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,890 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Brockton?

Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.16% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Brockton safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Brockton?

Brockton has cold winters: winter days average around 41°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 34″ of snow a year.

Does Brockton get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.14 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Brockton?

The nearest major airport is BOS, about 19 mi away.

How Brockton scores

Each bar compares Brockton with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Below average
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Brockton right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.