Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 New Bedford leads 14 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
100,620
Waterbury
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85 ✓ Safer
Population
114,480 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (7.2%)
Rent averages $114/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,140)
Households earn $3,153 more per year on average
Cons
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Waterbury
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($162,800 vs $291,300)
9% less violent crime than New Bedford
6% cheaper overall cost of living than New Bedford
Cons
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 7.2%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Median income trails New Bedford by $3,153/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Median Income
$3,153
$54,604 vs $51,451/yr
New Bedford
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
7.2% vs 9.8% unemployment
Waterbury
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Violent Crime
9% lower
322.5 vs 353.2 per 100k
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$129k less
$162,800 vs $291,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,140 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 27.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 6.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | 85 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 16.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 81.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 84.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 114,480 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 43.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 22.7% |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Bedford leads 14 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 14 and Waterbury wins 9. 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $162,800 median home), income ($54,604 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Waterbury, CT are about 109 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.