Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
San Diego, CA
🏆 San Diego leads 12 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620
San Diego
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,657 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
1,383,987 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $492k less ($291,300 vs $783,300)
Rent averages $1054/mo less ($1,026 vs $2,080)
14% less violent crime than San Diego
11% cheaper overall cost of living than San Diego
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Diego by $44,053/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 6.1%)
San Diego, CA
Pros
Households earn $44,053 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (6.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $783,300
Higher rents — median is $2,080/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than New Bedford
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
14% lower
353.2 vs 412.2 per 100k
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$492k less
$291,300 vs $783,300
San Diego
Median Income
$44,053
$98,657 vs $54,604/yr
San Diego
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
6.1% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $783,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $2,080⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $98,657 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 80 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 48.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 89.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | San Diego Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 1,383,987 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 19.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs San Diego's 111.5 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Diego leads 12 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 11 and San Diego wins 12. 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 San Diego or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $783,300 median home), income ($54,604 vs $98,657), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and San Diego, CA are about 2,581 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.