Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Grand Prairie, TX
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Grand Prairie leads 15 of 23 categories
Grand Prairie
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
37% less violent crime than New Bedford
Households earn $22,022 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $48k less ($242,900 vs $291,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,381/mo
Cost of living runs 2% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Rent averages $355/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,381)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Grand Prairie
Cons
Median income trails Grand Prairie by $22,022/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Grand Prairie
Median Income
$22,022
$76,626 vs $54,604/yr
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
37% lower
221.2 vs 353.2 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Median Home Value
$48k less
$242,900 vs $291,300
Grand Prairie
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.2% unemployment
Grand Prairie
Summer Heat
13.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Grand Prairie, 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 | $242,900 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,381⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,626 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.1 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 81.3% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,279 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.3% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Prairie'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, Grand Prairie leads 15 of 23 categories. Grand Prairie wins 15 and New Bedford wins 8. 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 Grand Prairie to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,900 vs $291,300 median home), income ($76,626 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Grand Prairie, TX and New Bedford, MA are about 1,556 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.