02746 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02746
01840
Opportunity
19 · Bottom 2%
vs21 · Bottom 3%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
23 · Bottom 1%
vs16 · Bottom 1%
Schools
38 · Bottom 32%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs92 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 14%
vs52 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 02746 | 01840 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,531 | 8,522 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $41,917 | $42,211 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,007 | $23,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,153/sq mi | 16,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,179 | $1,413 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 17.3% | 2.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.6% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 35.2% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 12 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | 9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.2 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.29 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 5.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.4% | 11.4% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
02746
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
01840
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Full profiles: 02746 — New Bedford, MA · 01840 — Lawrence, MA · How this is calculated: methodology