New Bedford 65 Good
New Bedford Livability #177 ranked city in Massachusetts#11,820 ranked city in the USARanks better than 59% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in New Bedford

PROS
  • Housing

    High scores in the housing category are a distinguishing feature of this area, possibly driven by a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.

  • Health & Safety

    Good air quality as well as nearby health facilities like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, fire and police stations all contribute to a higher than average health and safety score.

CONS
  • Amenities

    The majority of amenities are not ideally located within walking distance. To access these amenities, residents may be required to rely on a vehicle or public transit.

  • Commute

    A low commute score could be due to longer-than-average work commutes and the limited availability of public transportation in this area.

  • Crime

    This area reports elevated crime rates per 100,000 individuals, potentially pointing some areas being unsafe for its residents. Stats are based on both property and violent crimes.

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What's it like Living in New Bedford?

Located in the state of Massachusetts, New Bedford is a medium-sized city with a population of 95,355 residents. With a population density of 4,768 people per square mile, New Bedford is well above the nation's average density level. All the single ladies and all the single fellas might want to take notice as only 43% of the New Bedford population is married. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in New Bedford, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 26 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in New Bedford could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Massachusetts if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. With useful information like amenities, commute, health & safety and other key data points, finding the best places to live in New Bedford and in the areas around New Bedford is a much easier task.

New Bedford, MA receives 64/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #181 in Massachusetts and #11,986 in the USA. There are nine total categories that generate the livability score. New Bedford scores well for housing (B-) There are some categories that New Bedford does not rank well for, including: amenities (F), crime (F), education (D) and employment (D). It might be worth taking a closer look to figure out why.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, New Bedford has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in New Bedford is actually affordable. The median home price for New Bedford homes is $239,000, which is 29.9% lower than the Massachusetts average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in New Bedford, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.9, which is 2.1% higher than the Massachusetts average.

Best Places to Live in and Around New Bedford

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How Do You Rate The Livability In New Bedford?

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Compare New Bedford, MA Livability

      vs

      New Bedford transportation information

      Statistic New Bedford Massachusetts National
      Average one way commute26min29min26min
      Workers who drive to work74.0%71.1%76.4%
      Workers who carpool14.3%7.5%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit2.5%9.9%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.1%0.8%0.6%
      Workers who walk4.6%4.9%2.8%
      Working from home3.2%4.7%4.6%
      Source: The New Bedford, MA data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).