New Bedford vs Taunton
New Bedford, Massachusetts versus Taunton, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
New Bedford and Taunton score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | New Bedford | Taunton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $291k | $360k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.40% | 1.16% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 18.55% | 16.80% |
| Unemployment | 7.2% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9 in | 48.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5 in | 25.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 185 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 3.3 | 37.2 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 94.7 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2768/100k | 846/100k |
| Property Crime | 1560/100k | 916/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 100,620 | 59,436 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 40.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.39 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 58.3% | 73.7% |
| Black (%) | 4.8% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 23.4% | 7.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.2% | 9.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 15.4/20 | 14.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 22 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.7% | 85.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.70 | 9.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 New Bedford or Taunton more affordable?
- Taunton has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with New Bedford's $53k and Taunton's $53k. Median rent is $1k in New Bedford versus $1k in Taunton.
- Is New Bedford or Taunton safer?
- Taunton has the lower violent crime rate. New Bedford reports 2768/100k and Taunton reports 846/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in New Bedford or Taunton?
- The median home value is $291k in New Bedford and $360k in Taunton, so homes are more affordable in New Bedford.