New Bedford, MA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for New Bedford, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in New Bedford →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 100,620 people call New Bedford, Massachusetts home. Household income runs $54,604 at the median, below what we see across the broader set of cities (-24%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to New Bedford. The median home value sits at $291,300 (below the multi-city median at -11%), while renters pay a median of $1,026 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
Home values run about 5.3× median income in New Bedford, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Year-over-year, home values around New Bedford are up 4.09%, a pace in line with a healthy, unremarkable market. New Bedford carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,026/mo in New Bedford would take 22.5% of your income.
$339/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($291,300) would take 34.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$281/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in New Bedford
Median home value is $291,300 and median gross rent is $1,026/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Bristol rose 4.09% over the past year (as of 2025).
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates New Bedford's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
New Bedford reported a violent crime rate of 345.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to New Bedford
Planning a move to New Bedford? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in New Bedford, MA?
- New Bedford's key cost-of-living figures: $291,300 median home value, $1,026 median monthly rent, and $54,604 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in New Bedford?
- New Bedford's median rent of $1,026/month works out to roughly $41,040 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for New Bedford.
- Is it better to rent or buy in New Bedford?
- In New Bedford, comfortably renting the median unit ($1,026/month) takes about $41,040 in annual income, while buying the median home ($291,300) takes roughly $66,648 a year in principal and interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates).
- Is New Bedford safe?
- In 2025, New Bedford reported 345.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for New Bedford →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of New Bedford's.