Signals
New Bedford
New Britain
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
18 · Bottom 7%
vs23 · Bottom 10%
Climate
64 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs49 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | New Bedford | New Britain | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 100,998 | 74,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,981 | $58,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,556 | $31,171 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,049/sq mi | 5,541/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $357,300 | $223,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 | $1,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 45.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -5.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -90.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 42.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.73 | 13.68 | 2024-25 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.
New Britain
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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New Bedford
53
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50
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New Britain
53
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Full profiles: New Bedford, MA · New Britain, CT · How this is calculated: methodology