Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Toms River, NJ
🏆 Toms River leads 15 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Toms River
New Jersey
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,012 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
92,827
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Rent averages $566/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,592)
Homes cost $65k less ($291,300 vs $356,100)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Toms River
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Toms River by $37,408/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.7%)
Toms River, NJ
Pros
Households earn $37,408 more per year on average
62% less violent crime than New Bedford
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.7%)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,592/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $356,100
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than New Bedford
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Median Home Value
$65k less
$291,300 vs $356,100
Toms River
Median Income
$37,408
$92,012 vs $54,604/yr
Toms River
Violent Crime
62% lower
134.3 vs 353.2 per 100k
Toms River
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Toms River
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Toms River, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $356,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,592⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $92,012 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 | 43 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 34.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 93.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Toms River Regional School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 41.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" | 23.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 ✓ Larger | 92,827 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 80.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Toms River's 112.5 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Toms River leads 15 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 8 and Toms River 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 Toms River or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $356,100 median home), income ($54,604 vs $92,012), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Toms River, NJ are about 205 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.