
Taking into account the cost of goods and services like housing, groceries, transportation and utilities, the overall cost of living in this area is well below average.
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.
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.
Based on recent surveys and polls, locals gave high marks in the walkability to local amenities, safety, public transit, friendliness of neighbors and overall sense of community in the area.
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.
A low commute score could be due to longer-than-average work commutes and the limited availability of public transportation in this area.
In the employment category, a low score could be attributed to low income levels and high unemployment in the area, suggesting potential difficulties in finding lucrative employment.
New Bern is a moderately-sized city located in the state of North Carolina. The city has a population of 30,984 inhabitants. New Bern is known to be an ethnically diverse city. The two most common races are White (57%) and Black or African American (31%). Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? New Bern offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 19 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Are you trying to decide if living in New Bern is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a great experience before relocating to any new city in North Carolina, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. With useful information like crime, cost of living, employment and other key data points, finding the best places to live in New Bern and in the areas around New Bern is a much easier task.
New Bern, NC receives 69/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #147 in North Carolina and #8,134 in the USA. If we probe a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that New Bern has higher than average grades for the following: cost of living (A+) and housing (A). New Bern does not rank well for the following: amenities (F), crime (D-), education (D) and employment (F). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find 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 Bern has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Assuming that New Bern meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in New Bern. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in New Bern are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in New Bern come in at $285,773, which is 1.3% lower than the North Carolina average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In New Bern, the home price to income ratio is 4.5, which is 9.8% higher than the North Carolina average.

Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | New Bern | North Carolina | National |
| Average one way commute | 19min | 24min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 82.5% | 81.1% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.9% | 9.8% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.0% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 4.1% | 4.8% | 4.6% |