Median Income
$54,604
household / year
Median Home Value
$291,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,026
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is New Bedford, MA a Good Place to Live?

New Bedford is a mid-sized city of 100,620 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $54,604 and a 7.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: New Bedford stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether New Bedford is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All New Bedford city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 100.9

New Bedford's overall cost of living index is 100.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in New Bedford costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric New Bedford, MA National Avg
Median Home Value $291,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,026 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 39.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $54,604 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

New Bedford's violent crime rate is 353.2 per 100,000 residents — 7% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
353.2 /100k
Property Crime
1359.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

New Bedford is served primarily by New Bedford. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric New Bedford, MA National Avg
School District New Bedford —
Elementary Schools 18 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 76.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

New Bedford sees average highs of 39.1°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 45.9 inches of annual precipitation and 32.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricNew Bedford, MA
Average High — January39.1°F
Average High — July82.5°F
Annual Precipitation45.9"
Annual Snowfall32.5"

Demographics

MetricNew Bedford, MANational Avg
Population100,620—
Median Age36.838.9
Unemployment Rate7.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)60.4%59.3%
Black or African American5.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino29.8%18.9%
Asian1.3%6.3%
Under 1823.5%22.2%
65 and over15.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Acushnet Center, MA 2 mi Smith Mills, MA 3 mi Bliss Corner, MA 4 mi Mattapoisett Center, MA 7 mi North Westport, MA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in New Bedford

New Bedford, MA is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

02745 02740 02746 02744

New Bedford vs Other Cities

New Bedford, MA vs Acushnet Center, MA New Bedford, MA vs Smith Mills, MA New Bedford, MA vs Bliss Corner, MA New Bedford, MA vs Mattapoisett Center, MA New Bedford, MA vs North Westport, MA

Frequently Asked Questions

New Bedford's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts New Bedford roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $291,300 and median rent is $1,026/month.
New Bedford's violent crime rate is 353.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1359.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in New Bedford are operated by New Bedford. The district has 18 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1. 16.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
New Bedford, MA has a population of 100,620, a median household income of $54,604, and an unemployment rate of 7.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
New Bedford averages 39.1°F in January and 82.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.9 inches with about 32.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
New Bedford, MA is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 02745, 02740, 02746, 02744.
The population of New Bedford, Massachusetts is 100,620 with a median age of 36.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in New Bedford: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $291,300, median household income $54,604, crime index 82 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare New Bedford side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.