Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irving, TX
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Irving leads 15 of 23 categories
Irving
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,686 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
254,962 ✓ 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.
Irving, TX
Pros
Households earn $22,082 more per year on average
22% less violent crime than New Bedford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (4.1%)
More college-educated — 40.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $32k less ($259,500 vs $291,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 39°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,423/mo
Cost of living runs 2% higher than New Bedford
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Rent averages $397/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,423)
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 Irving
Cons
Median income trails Irving by $22,082/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irving
Median Income
$22,082
$76,686 vs $54,604/yr
Irving
Violent Crime
22% lower
275.4 vs 353.2 per 100k
Irving
Median Home Value
$32k less
$259,500 vs $291,300
Irving
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
4.1% vs 7.2% unemployment
Irving
Summer Heat
13.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.6°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 | Irving, 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 | $259,500 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,423⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,686 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 105⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.5:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.5% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 79.7% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | IRVING ISD | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.5°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.6" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 254,962 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 37.2% | 39.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.4% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 8.3% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irving'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, Irving leads 15 of 23 categories. Irving 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 Irving to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($259,500 vs $291,300 median home), income ($76,686 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irving, TX and New Bedford, MA are about 1,548 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.