Barnstable Town vs New Bedford
Barnstable Town, Massachusetts versus New Bedford, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Barnstable Town edges out New Bedford on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Barnstable Town | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $69k | $53k |
| Home Value | $499k | $291k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.76% | 1.40% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.07% | 18.55% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | 7.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.9 in | 45.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.5 in | 32.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 101 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 43.3 | 3.3 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 94.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1299/100k | 2768/100k |
| Property Crime | 794/100k | 1560/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 48,922 | 100,620 |
| Median Age | 47.1 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 77.6% | 58.3% |
| Black (%) | 6.2% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.9% | 23.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.4% | 12.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 15.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 55 mi | 26 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.3% | 82.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.48 | 16.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Barnstable Town or New Bedford more affordable?
- New Bedford has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Barnstable Town's $69k and New Bedford's $53k. Median rent is $2k in Barnstable Town versus $1k in New Bedford.
- Is Barnstable Town or New Bedford safer?
- Barnstable Town has the lower violent crime rate. Barnstable Town reports 1299/100k and New Bedford reports 2768/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Barnstable Town or New Bedford?
- The median home value is $499k in Barnstable Town and $291k in New Bedford, so homes are more affordable in New Bedford.