Taunton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Taunton
New Bedford
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 29%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs18 · Bottom 7%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs64 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Schools
25 · Bottom 17%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
62 · Top 48%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Taunton | New Bedford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,433 | 100,998 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,283 | $56,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,819 | $30,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,294/sq mi | 5,049/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $422,800 | $357,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,324 | $1,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.1% | 40.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 406 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 822.7% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.6" | 45.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.63 | 11.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 16.2% | 19.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.1% | 32.7% | 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
Taunton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
New Bedford
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.
Taunton
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
New Bedford
53
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Taunton, MA · New Bedford, MA · How this is calculated: methodology