Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Worth, TX
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Fort Worth leads 14 of 23 categories
Fort Worth
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,726 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
924,663 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
9
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.
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Households earn $18,122 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.3%)
Homes cost $41k less ($250,300 vs $291,300)
More college-educated — 31.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 39°F
Cons
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 2% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
23% less violent crime than Fort Worth
Rent averages $287/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,313)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 97°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Worth
Cons
Median income trails Fort Worth by $18,122/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Worth
Median Income
$18,122
$72,726 vs $54,604/yr
Fort Worth
Median Home Value
$41k less
$250,300 vs $291,300
Fort Worth
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Fort Worth
Summer Heat
14.1°F warmer
July avg high 96.6°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
23% lower
353.2 vs 458.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Worth, TX | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $250,300 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,313 | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,726 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.9% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.2% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 84.1% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT WORTH ISD | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.8°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.3" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 924,663 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 33.2 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.1% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Worth's cost of living index is 103.3 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Worth leads 14 of 23 categories. Fort Worth wins 14 and New Bedford wins 9. 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 Fort Worth to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($250,300 vs $291,300 median home), income ($72,726 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Worth, TX and New Bedford, MA are about 1,569 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.