Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Germantown leads 10 of 19 categories
Germantown
Maryland
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
New Bedford
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $54,664 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (5.2%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Longer commutes — 33.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 8% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Rent averages $882/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,908)
Homes cost $102k less ($291,300 vs $393,700)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $54,664/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$54,664
$109,268 vs $54,604/yr
Germantown
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
5.2% vs 7.2% unemployment
New Bedford
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$102k less
$291,300 vs $393,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 82 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 65 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" | 32.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 100,620 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 36.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Germantown leads 10 of 19 categories. Germantown wins 10 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 Germantown to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $291,300 median home), income ($109,268 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and New Bedford, MA are about 374 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.