Attleboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Bedford
Attleboro
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
18 · Bottom 7%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
64 · Bottom 30%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Schools
35 · Bottom 29%
vs54 · Top 47%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | New Bedford | Attleboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 100,998 | 46,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,981 | $98,954 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,556 | $44,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,049/sq mi | 1,746/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $357,300 | $448,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 | $1,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 34.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 38 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -2.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 47.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.73 | 15.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.4% | 33.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.7% | 45.1% | 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
New Bedford
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Attleboro
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
New Bedford
53
Your Score
50
Area Score
Attleboro
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: New Bedford, MA · Attleboro, MA · How this is calculated: methodology