New Bedford vs Fall River
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $357,300 in New Bedford and $395,500 in Fall River.
Side by side
| New Bedford, MA | Fall River, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 101,834 | 95,298 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.8% | +1.4% |
| People per square mile | 5,091 | 2,877 |
| Median age | 37.0 | 39.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17% | 16% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $56,981 | $56,673 |
| Median home value | $357,300 | $395,500 |
| Home value to income | 6.3× | 7.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,137 | $1,155 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 101.8 | 101.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 103.9 | 103.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $76,300 | $76,300 |
| Homeowners | 40% | 35% |
| Top state income tax | 9% | 9% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.7 | 25.8 |
| Work from home | 5% | 7% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 8.3% | 6.5% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 19.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 39° / 21° | 38° / 22° |
| July high / low | 83° / 62° | 84° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 46 in | 48 in |
| Snowfall per year | 33 in | 37 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 7 | 12 |
| Nights below freezing | 123 | 109 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.9 | 89.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.7% | +4.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +51.9% | +51.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: New Bedford: May to September. Fall River: May to October.
Full monthly tables: New Bedford weather by month and Fall River weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $76,300 in New Bedford and $76,300 in Fall River. Moving from New Bedford to Fall River, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.