Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Reading, PA
🏆 New Bedford leads 14 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Reading
Pennsylvania
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,852
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
94,601
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (7.2%)
Households earn $11,752 more per year on average
More college-educated — 16.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Reading
Reading, PA
Pros
Homes cost $194k less ($96,900 vs $291,300)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than New Bedford
Rent averages $84/mo less ($942 vs $1,026)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Median income trails New Bedford by $11,752/yr
Higher unemployment (11.3% vs 7.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Median Income
$11,752
$54,604 vs $42,852/yr
New Bedford
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
7.2% vs 11.3% unemployment
Reading
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Reading
Violent Crime
5% lower
337.2 vs 353.2 per 100k
Reading
Median Home Value
$194k less
$96,900 vs $291,300
Reading
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Reading, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $96,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 | $942 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 ✓ Higher | $42,852 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 11.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% ✓ Higher | 4.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 81 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 68 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% ✓ Higher | 71.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Reading SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 27.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 ✓ Larger | 94,601 |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 31.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 28.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 10.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Reading's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Reading is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Bedford leads 14 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 14 and Reading wins 9. 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 Reading or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $96,900 median home), income ($54,604 vs $42,852), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Reading, PA are about 276 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.