Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Carlsbad leads 15 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
8
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.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $79,535 more per year on average
44% less violent crime than New Bedford
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (6.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $779k less ($291,300 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1451/mo less ($1,026 vs $2,477)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $79,535/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 6.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$79,535
$134,139 vs $54,604/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
44% lower
199.1 vs 353.2 per 100k
Carlsbad
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
6.0% vs 7.2% unemployment
New Bedford
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$779k less
$291,300 vs $1,070,500
New Bedford
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 36.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 15 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 15 and New Bedford wins 8. 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 Carlsbad to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $291,300 median home), income ($134,139 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and New Bedford, MA are about 2,579 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.