Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Santa Rosa, CA
🏆 Santa Rosa leads 16 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620
Santa Rosa
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
90 ✓ Safer
Population
178,221 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $370k less ($291,300 vs $661,700)
Rent averages $998/mo less ($1,026 vs $2,024)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Rosa
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Rosa by $38,000/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.6%)
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
Households earn $38,000 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 34.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $661,700
Higher rents — median is $2,024/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than New Bedford
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 110.1 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$370k less
$291,300 vs $661,700
Santa Rosa
Median Income
$38,000
$92,604 vs $54,604/yr
Santa Rosa
Violent Crime
3% lower
342.6 vs 353.2 per 100k
Santa Rosa
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Santa Rosa, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 110.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $661,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $2,024⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $92,604 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 90 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 63 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (90) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 34.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 85.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Rincon Valley Union Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 31.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 178,221 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 40.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 55.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 20.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% | 18.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Santa Rosa's 110.1 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Rosa leads 16 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 7 and Santa Rosa wins 16. 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 Santa Rosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $661,700 median home), income ($54,604 vs $92,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Santa Rosa, CA are about 2,706 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.