Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
El Cajon
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721 ✓ 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.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Households earn $9,524 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
More college-educated — 23.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/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 $302k less ($291,300 vs $593,500)
Rent averages $660/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,686)
19% less violent crime than El Cajon
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (7.2%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails El Cajon by $9,524/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
El Cajon
Median Income
$9,524
$64,128 vs $54,604/yr
El Cajon
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 86.1°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
19% lower
353.2 vs 434.4 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$302k less
$291,300 vs $593,500
New Bedford
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
7.2% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, 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 | $593,500⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon'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 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. El Cajon wins 11 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 El Cajon to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $291,300 median home), income ($64,128 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and New Bedford, MA are about 2,573 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.