Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Huntsville leads 16 of 23 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
215,025 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
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.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $13,270 more per year on average
Homes cost $55k less ($236,300 vs $291,300)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
New Bedford, MA
Pros
27% less violent crime than Huntsville
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntsville by $13,270/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.6%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Huntsville
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Median Income
$13,270
$67,874 vs $54,604/yr
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$55k less
$236,300 vs $291,300
Huntsville
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.6% vs 7.2% unemployment
Huntsville
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 88.1°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Violent Crime
27% lower
353.2 vs 483.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntsville leads 16 of 23 categories. Huntsville wins 16 and New Bedford wins 7. 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 Huntsville to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $291,300 median home), income ($67,874 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and New Bedford, MA are about 969 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.