Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 El Paso leads 18 of 22 categories
El Paso
Texas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
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.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $132k less ($159,300 vs $291,300)
21% less violent crime than New Bedford
11% cheaper overall cost of living than New Bedford
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 39°F
More college-educated — 27.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 11% higher than El Paso
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Median Income
$1,106
$55,710 vs $54,604/yr
El Paso
Violent Crime
21% lower
278.4 vs 353.2 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$132k less
$159,300 vs $291,300
El Paso
Summer Heat
13.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, El Paso leads 18 of 22 categories. El Paso wins 18 and New Bedford wins 4. 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 Paso to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $291,300 median home), income ($55,710 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and New Bedford, MA are about 2,062 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.