Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Boulder leads 13 of 23 categories
Boulder
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,243 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
85 ✓ Safer
Population
106,598 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $25,639 more per year on average
9% less violent crime than New Bedford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Higher rents — median is $1,853/mo
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $628k less ($291,300 vs $919,700)
Rent averages $827/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,853)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Boulder
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Boulder by $25,639/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Median Income
$25,639
$80,243 vs $54,604/yr
Boulder
Violent Crime
9% lower
322.3 vs 353.2 per 100k
Boulder
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.2% unemployment
Boulder
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 107.2 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$628k less
$291,300 vs $919,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 32.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Boulder leads 13 of 23 categories. Boulder wins 13 and New Bedford wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Boulder to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $291,300 median home), income ($80,243 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and New Bedford, MA are about 1,785 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.