Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 New Bedford leads 14 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
14
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 Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
Households earn $5,325 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Higher rents — median is $1,605/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 $306k less ($291,300 vs $597,200)
Rent averages $579/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,605)
17% less violent crime than El Monte
15% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails El Monte by $5,325/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Median Income
$5,325
$59,929 vs $54,604/yr
El Monte
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
17% lower
353.2 vs 423.2 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$306k less
$291,300 vs $597,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, 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 | $597,200⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 16.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 76.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 36.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 39.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte'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 14 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 9 and New Bedford wins 14. 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 Monte to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $291,300 median home), income ($59,929 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and New Bedford, MA are about 2,589 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.