Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Raleigh, NC
🏆 Raleigh leads 13 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620
Raleigh
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
28% less violent crime than Raleigh
Rent averages $345/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,371)
Homes cost $56k less ($291,300 vs $347,000)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Raleigh by $24,027/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Households earn $24,027 more per year on average
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (4.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 52°F vs 39°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than New Bedford
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,371/mo
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $347,000
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Violent Crime
28% lower
353.2 vs 488.8 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$56k less
$291,300 vs $347,000
Raleigh
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Income
$24,027
$78,631 vs $54,604/yr
Raleigh
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Raleigh
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $347,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,371⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $78,631 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 20.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A- (117) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 52.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 51.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 49.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 4.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 465,517 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 51.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 20.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Raleigh's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Raleigh leads 13 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 10 and Raleigh 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 New Bedford to Raleigh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $347,000 median home), income ($54,604 vs $78,631), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Raleigh, NC are about 578 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.