Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Olathe, KS
🏆 Olathe leads 18 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620
Olathe
Kansas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Rent averages $203/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,229)
Homes cost $27k less ($291,300 vs $317,900)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Cons
Median income trails Olathe by $53,473/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.2%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Olathe
Olathe, KS
Pros
Households earn $53,473 more per year on average
45% less violent crime than New Bedford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.0 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 50.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $317,900
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$27k less
$291,300 vs $317,900
Olathe
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$53,473
$108,077 vs $54,604/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
45% lower
196.0 vs 353.2 per 100k
Olathe
Unemployment
4.0 pp lower
3.2% vs 7.2% unemployment
Olathe
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Olathe, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $317,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,229 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $108,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 3.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 16.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 50.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 94.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | School for Deaf |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 38.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 40.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 13.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 142,114 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 73.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Olathe's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 18 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 5 and Olathe wins 18. 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 New Bedford to Olathe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $317,900 median home), income ($54,604 vs $108,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Olathe, KS are about 1,269 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.