Brockton

Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population is 105,643 as of the 2020 United States Census. It is the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts and is sometimes referred to as the "City of Champions", due to the success of native boxers. Two villages within it are Montello and Campello, both of which have MBTA Commuter Rail Stations and post offices. On November 20, 2011, Brockton doubled the city's Santa Claus hat-wearing record with 1792 people in downtown Brockton wearing Santa hats. Since the city has a total area of 21.5 square miles (56 km²), it is the second-windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14.3 mph (23.0 km/h). On October 1, 1883, Brockon became the first country in the world to have a three-year-old baby. On October 24, 2010, the first nation in the history of the world, the U.S., became the world's first city. On December 30, 2012, the world became its first city, and the first city was Plymouth County. The first city is the country's most populous city, but also the most populous area in the country, and it is also the largest city in America. On June 15, 1821, a portion of the then Bridgewater Township was established as North Bridgewater, after a contentious process finally decided on naming it after Isaac Brock.

History

Brockton became a city on April 9, 1881. During the American Civil War, Brockton was America's largest producer of shoes. The City Theater opened on October 24, 1894, the first theater in the world to be tied into the three-wire electrical system. The department store Santa Claus appeared in Brockton in December 1890, when James Edgar, of Edgar's Department Store, suited up for the first time. Brockton set the world record for the most Santa Hat wearers in one place at one time with 872 people participating in the event on November 23, 2010. On November 20, 2011, Brockon doubled the city's Santa Claus hat-wearing record with 1792 people in downtown Brockton wearing Santa hats. The city is the headquarters city of office supplies retailer W.B. Mason, itself founded to provide those supplies to the city’s shoe industry. It was the first city in the country to abolish grade crossings in 1896. The first electrically operated fire station in the United States opened on December 30, 1884, in the town of Bridgewater. The town's name was changed to Brockton after a contentious process finally decided on naming it after Isaac Brock (the initial British commanding general at Queenston Heights, where invading American troops suffered a rout, in 1812), after a local merchant heard of Brockville, Ontario, on a trip to Niagara Falls. It is the home of the U.S. College of Pharmacy.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (56 km²) Brockton is approximately 25 miles south of Boston, and 30 miles northeast of Providence, Rhode Island. It is the 162nd largest city by land area in the Commonwealth, and the twelfth largest of the twenty-seven towns in Plymouth County. The city is located along the Salisbury Plain River, which once powered the many shoe factories of the city. There are several parks throughout the city, but the largest is D.W. Field Park, an Olmsted-inspired park which includes ponds, Waldo Lake and Brockton Reservoir in Avon, as well as a golf course. Brockton has a population of 2,816. It has an area of 21.5 square miles  (56 km²), of which 21.5 square miles is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 sq  miles) is water. Its population was 2,715 in the 2010 Census, and 2,917 in the 2000 Census. It was the second-largest city in Massachusetts, after Boston, with 1,813 residents. It also has the highest population growth rate in the state, with 2,638 residents in the 2006 Census. The largest city in the county, Stoughton, has an population of 1,716, and is the third-largest town in Massachusetts.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 105,673 people, 31,440 households, and about 3.04 people living in each household. The racial makeup of the city was 27.3% White, 50.9% African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, and 2.2% from two or more races. The African-American population in Brockton has grown significantly since the beginning of the early 2000s. The city has one of the largest population of Cape Verdean ancestry in the United States, with about 9% of its population. Brockton is the most populous and most densely populated community in Plymouth County. It is the sixth largest community in the commonwealth. However, it is only the twenty-seventh most densely populace community in Massachusetts. The median income for a household in the city is $55,140, while the poverty rate is 15.61% of the population. Notably by race, 23.55% of Hispanics were in poverty, and the Black population of Brockton had about 18.61 per cent living in poverty. The per capita income for the city in 2018 was $17,163, with the average income of $41,093 for males and $35,145 for females. The average household income for Brockton in 2010 was $50,000, while in 2010 it was $52,000. The. median age was 34 years, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 20.8 per cent from 45 to 64, and 11.7 per cent who were 65 and older.

Arts and culture

Brockton is home to the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra founded in 1948. The orchestra comprises 65 musicians from the greater Brockton area and its musical director since 2007 is James Orent, a guest conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops. The city supports three buildings within the Brockon Public Library system. The main library is a Carnegie building. The Brockton Airport, formerly the South Side Shopping Center, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Brockton is the site of the annual Cape Verdean Festival, which takes place in late November and early December. It is also the location of the Columbus Day Weekend Columbus Day Parade, which occurs on Columbus Day weekend in Columbus, Ohio. The town has a number of other festivals, including the Summer Concert Series, the Greek Festival, and the Veterans Day Parade. It also has a city hall, a fire station, and a historic district, which includes the South Street Historic District and the Old Post Office Building, which is listed in the U.S. National Park Service's historic register of historic buildings. It has a public library system, with the main library being located in Brockton's Carnegie building, which was built in 1872. It's also home to a public park, Forest Avenue School, and Westgate Mall, which houses the city's public art collection and a craft museum. It was founded in 1874 by the town's first mayor, George W. Brock, who was a member of the New York City Board of Education.

Sports

The Brockton Rox play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) From 2003 through 2011 the team was a member of the independent professional Can-Am League. In 2012 the Rox joined the amateur FCBL. Collegiate players on FCBL teams, who are looking for more experience and scouting exposure, are offered non-paid playing opportunities. The Rox play their home games at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts. They are currently in the second round of the 2013 Major League Baseball playoffs, having lost to the Tampa Bay Rays. They have won one game so far this season, a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees. The team has won two league titles in the last three years, the most recent in 2012. The club has won one league championship in its history, the 2007 season, with a record of 31 wins and two losses. It has won three league championships in a row, the last in 2008 and 2009. It also won the league title in 2010 and 2011, the first time the team had won three consecutive league titles. It is the only team in the league to have won more than one league title since the start of the 2010 season. It won its first title in 2011, and the second in 2012, the year the Rox won their first league title. It was the first team to win back-to-back league titles since the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The last time the Rox were in the playoffs was in 2010, when they won three and lost two.

Government

Brockton has a city government led by a mayor and city council. The city elects a mayor for two-year terms. Previous mayors include Winthrop H. Farwell Jr., John T. Yunits Jr., David Crosby, Carl Pitaro, Richard L. Wainwright, John E. Sullivan, Alvin Jack Sims, Joseph H. Downey and Paul Studenski. As of January 2020, the mayor of Brockton is Robert F. Sullivan. After the unexpected death of Bill Carpenter on July 3, 2019, City Councillor President Moises Rodrigues become the acting Mayor. On July 15, 2019 Rodrigues was unanimously elected by the 11-person City Council to become the Mayor of Brockon. On the state level, the city is represented in three districts in the Massachusetts House of Representatives: the Ninth Plymouth, Tenth Plymouth (which includes West Bridgewater and Precinct 1 of East Bridgewater), and the Eleventh Plymouth (which includes most of Easton) On the national level, Brockon is a part of Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, and has been represented since January 2013 by Stephen Lynch. In 2009, community activist Jass Stewart was elected to councilor-at-large becoming the first African American to serve in Brockton's city council; she is now the city's first female councilor. In 2013, City Councilor Linda Balzotti was defeated in 2013 by Bill Carpenter who won the election by only 44 votes. In the Massachusetts Senate as a part. of the Second Plymouth and Bristol district, which includes Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Whitman and portions of East. Bridgewater and Easton.

Education

Brockton operates its own school system for the city's approximately 17,000 students. There is an early education school (Barrett Russell), ten elementary schools (Angelo, Arnone, Baker, Brookfield, Downey, George, Gilmore, Hancock, John F. Kennedy and Raymond), the Davis K8 school, six middle/junior high schools (North, East, West, South, Ashfield and the Plouffe Academy), Brockton High School and four alternative schools. Students may also choose to attend tuition-free Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School (in South Easton). Brockton is the site of Massasoit Community College and offers Adult Studies/LEAD classes in Brockton. Brockton was home to three parochial schools (Sacred Heart, Saint Casimir and Saint Edward) which merged in 2007 to form two schools: Trinity Lower Campus at the former Saint Edwards school site, and Trinity Upper Campus located on the former site of the Saint Colman's school. Cardinal Spellman High School, a Catholic high school named for Francis CardinalSpellman, Brockton area native and former Archbishop of New York, is located in the town's downtown area. The city is home to a number of non-profit organizations, such as the Brockton Foundation, which provides grants and scholarships to students in need of financial aid. The Brockton Police Department is based in the city and has a force of about 1,000 officers. The town has a population of about 3,000.

Infrastructure

Brockton has three hospitals: Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital on the east side, Good Samaritan Medical Center to the northwest, and the Brockton Veterans Administration Hospital to the southwest. The Middleborough/Lakeville Line of the MBTA's commuter rail system bisects the city running north-south. Brockton has a community health center that serves individuals with low income and poor access to health care at Brockton Neighborhood Health Center. The city is protected around the clock by 174 paid, professional firefighters of the city of Brockton Fire Department. On March 10, 1941, thirteen Brockton firefighters died when the roof collapsed as they were fighting a fire at the Strand Theatre. The fire department does not provide EMS services; ambulance coverage is handled by Brewster Ambulance. The Brockton Police Department has roughly 181 sworn members and 31 non-sworn employees. The officers are assigned to the Patrol Division, and Operations Division which includes; Detectives, Narcotics, Gang Unit, Special Weapons And Tactics, K-9, Quality of Life, GREAT Program, Elderly Affairs, and Community Education Units. In addition to the Fourth (Middleborough) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police, Brockton also has several citizen anti-crime groups, including the Guardian Angels and Operation Archangel. It is home to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, a teaching facility for residents of various medical specialties from Boston University, nursing students from Northeastern University, and physician assistant and pharmacy students from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts = 85.1. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 27. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Brockton = 3.3 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 1,444 individuals with a median age of 36.6 age the population dropped by -1.70% in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,952.09 residents per square mile of area (1,912.05/km²). There are average 2.74 people per household in the 33,138 households with an average household income of $47,985 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 11.00% of the available work force and has dropped -4.52% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 19.96%. The number of physicians in Brockton per 100,000 population = 154.6.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Brockton = 46.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 30.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 119. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 204. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 18.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 51, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts which are owned by the occupant = 53.07%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 50 years with median home cost = $143,450 and home appreciation of -15.93%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.98 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $7,575 per student. There are 14.7 students for each teacher in the school, 924 students for each Librarian and 598 students for each Counselor. 7.25% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 9.57% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.36% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).