Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 15 of 23 categories
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Kentucky
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,087 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
69 ✓ Safer
Population
321,276 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
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.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
Pros
26% less violent crime than New Bedford
More college-educated — 46.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (262.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,483 more per year on average
Homes cost $43k less ($247,900 vs $291,300)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Lexington-Fayette urban county by $11,483/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.0%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Key Differences at a Glance
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.1 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Median Income
$11,483
$66,087 vs $54,604/yr
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Violent Crime
26% lower
262.0 vs 353.2 per 100k
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Median Home Value
$43k less
$247,900 vs $291,300
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.2% unemployment
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 86.9°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $247,900 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,065 | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,087 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.6% ✓ 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 | 69 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.5% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 92.2% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fayette County | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.5" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 321,276 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.3% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington-Fayette urban county's cost of living index is 93.1 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Lexington-Fayette urban county is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 15 of 23 categories. Lexington-Fayette urban county 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 Lexington-Fayette urban county to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($247,900 vs $291,300 median home), income ($66,087 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY and New Bedford, MA are about 759 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
Related Comparisons
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY vs Louisville/Jefferson County metro government, KY
New Bedford, MA vs Lynn, MA
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY vs Stockton, CA
New Bedford, MA vs Quincy, MA
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY vs Henderson, NV
New Bedford, MA vs Brockton, MA
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY vs Corpus Christi, TX
New Bedford, MA vs Fall River, MA