Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 New Bedford leads 13 of 23 categories
Long Beach
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
New Bedford
Massachusetts
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,391 more per year on average
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (6.6%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $418k less ($291,300 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $672/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,698)
48% less violent crime than Long Beach
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $24,391/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$24,391
$78,995 vs $54,604/yr
Long Beach
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
6.6% vs 7.2% unemployment
New Bedford
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
48% lower
353.2 vs 676.4 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$418k less
$291,300 vs $709,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 45.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Bedford leads 13 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 10 and New Bedford wins 13. 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 Long Beach to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $291,300 median home), income ($78,995 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and New Bedford, MA are about 2,605 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.