Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carson, CA
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 New Bedford leads 12 of 23 categories
Carson
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,045 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
94,475
New Bedford
Massachusetts
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carson, CA
Pros
Households earn $48,441 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
More college-educated — 29.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $616,000
Higher rents — median is $1,815/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $325k less ($291,300 vs $616,000)
Rent averages $789/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,815)
16% less violent crime than Carson
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Carson
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carson by $48,441/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Carson
Median Income
$48,441
$103,045 vs $54,604/yr
New Bedford
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
16% lower
353.2 vs 420.0 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$325k less
$291,300 vs $616,000
New Bedford
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 82.5°F vs 76.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carson, CA | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $616,000⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,815⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,045 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.8% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 140⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.6% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 66.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.9°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.6" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,475 | 100,620 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.3 ✓ Older | 36.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.7% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.2% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carson's cost of living index is 115.5 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Bedford leads 12 of 23 categories. Carson wins 11 and New Bedford wins 12. 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 Carson to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($616,000 vs $291,300 median home), income ($103,045 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carson, CA and New Bedford, MA are about 2,607 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.