Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Roswell, GA
🏆 Roswell leads 15 of 22 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Roswell
Georgia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,924 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
92,770
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $188k less ($291,300 vs $479,400)
Rent averages $593/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,619)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Roswell by $68,320/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.3%)
Roswell, GA
Pros
Households earn $68,320 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than New Bedford
More college-educated — 63.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (160.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 52°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $479,400
Higher rents — median is $1,619/mo
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$188k less
$291,300 vs $479,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 100.9 on the COL index
Roswell
Median Income
$68,320
$122,924 vs $54,604/yr
Roswell
Violent Crime
55% lower
160.1 vs 353.2 per 100k
Roswell
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Roswell
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 89.4°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Roswell, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $479,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,619⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $122,924 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 29.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 25.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 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 | 14.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 63.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 94.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Fulton County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 51.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 89.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 53.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 1.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 ✓ Larger | 92,770 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 40.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 70.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Roswell's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Roswell leads 15 of 22 categories. New Bedford wins 7 and Roswell wins 15. 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 Roswell or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $479,400 median home), income ($54,604 vs $122,924), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Roswell, GA are about 900 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.