Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 18 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
St. George
Utah
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
96,174
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($291,300 vs $415,200)
Rent averages $309/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,335)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 102°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails St. George by $14,729/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 3.3%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than St. George
St. George, UT
Pros
41% less violent crime than New Bedford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (3.3%)
Households earn $14,729 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 32.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $415,200
Higher rents — median is $1,335/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$124k less
$291,300 vs $415,200
St. George
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
St. George
Median Income
$14,729
$69,333 vs $54,604/yr
St. George
Violent Crime
41% lower
210.0 vs 353.2 per 100k
St. George
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
3.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
19.4°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $415,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,335⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $69,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 13.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 32.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 94.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 54.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 ✓ Larger | 96,174 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
St. George is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. George leads 18 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 5 and St. George wins 18. 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 St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $415,200 median home), income ($54,604 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and St. George, UT are about 2,276 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.