Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Denver leads 12 of 23 categories
Denver
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denver, CO
Pros
Households earn $31,249 more per year on average
More college-educated — 54.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $249k less ($291,300 vs $540,400)
Rent averages $639/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,665)
64% less violent crime than Denver
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Denver
Cons
Median income trails Denver by $31,249/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Denver
Median Income
$31,249
$85,853 vs $54,604/yr
Denver
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Denver
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 90.2°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
64% lower
353.2 vs 993.0 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$249k less
$291,300 vs $540,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $540,400⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 32.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver's cost of living index is 105.5 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Denver leads 12 of 23 categories. Denver wins 12 and New Bedford wins 11. 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 Denver to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $291,300 median home), income ($85,853 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and New Bedford, MA are about 1,771 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.