CensusEasy
CITY

New Bedford

Massachusetts · 101,834 residents (2025 est.) · 20.001 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Providence metro area
Compare
The short version

New Bedford has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $56,981. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $357,300. The poverty rate of 20.6% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 45% less than the Massachusetts median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
100,998
+8%since 2000
from 93,768 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
5,050 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 4,567 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.0
+3%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:101,834 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
90K93K96K99K102K1990201020202024New Bedford
2024101K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.8%(6,866)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(6,148)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(6,471)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.8%(6,881)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(6,975)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.9%(14,071)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414%(14,180)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.3%(12,427)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.4%(11,467)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.2%(9,300)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.2%(4,266)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(1,946)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,981
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,569 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,556
+96%since 2000
from $15,602 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.4%
+18.4 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
20.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 20.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.450
−3%since 2010
from 0.464 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade11.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade9.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$357,300
+73%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $113,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,137
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $455 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
40.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2000
from 43.8% in 2000
59.7% rent
Vacancy rate
4.7%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
36.1%
−7.6 ptssince 2009
from 43.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.3
−7%since 2009
from 6.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in New Bedford on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic75.2%(70,520)
Black3.7%(3,503)
Hispanic / Latino10.2%(9,576)
Asian0.6%(600)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic54.1%(54,677)
Black4.4%(4,463)
Hispanic / Latino25.8%(26,070)
Asian1.3%(1,271)
Other14.4%(14,517)
Diversity Score
77
+31%since 2009
from 59 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican13.4%(13,571)
Central American6.5%(6,517)
Guatemalan3.1%(3,105)
Dominican2.6%(2,588)
Salvadoran1.8%(1,816)
Honduran1.5%(1,473)
Mexican1.1%(1,115)
Ecuadorian0.7%(696)
Spaniard0.3%(298)
Cuban0.2%(186)
Colombian0.2%(181)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(101)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(408)
Chinese0.3%(310)
Filipino0.1%(132)
Pakistani0.1%(116)
Vietnamese0.1%(81)
Japanese0.1%(67)
Cambodian0.1%(66)
Korean0%(49)
Thai0%(8)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(46)
Samoan0%(28)
Ancestry
Portuguese29.9%(30,161)
Cape Verdean9.5%(9,644)
Irish9.4%(9,468)
English6.5%(6,534)
French5.9%(5,909)
Italian2.9%(2,977)
French Canadian2.4%(2,445)
American2.1%(2,089)
Polish2%(2,036)
German1.4%(1,454)
West Indian1.3%(1,264)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Brazilian1%(1,022)
Haitian0.7%(754)
Scottish0.3%(321)
Swedish0.3%(281)
Arab0.2%(243)
Norwegian0.2%(235)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(185)
Canadian0.2%(180)
Armenian0.2%(168)
Greek0.2%(167)
Welsh0.1%(131)
Russian0.1%(120)
Nigerian0.1%(120)
Egyptian0.1%(88)
Jamaican0.1%(88)
Lithuanian0.1%(80)
Austrian0.1%(73)
British0.1%(59)
Barbadian0.1%(59)
Lebanese0%(50)
Dutch0%(38)
Iranian0%(34)
Czech0%(33)
Danish0%(31)
Syrian0%(23)
Jordanian0%(22)
Kenyan0%(22)
Belgian0%(20)
Finnish0%(20)
Ethiopian0%(14)
Swiss0%(13)
Romanian0%(11)
RANKED:Largest Portuguese population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Subsaharan African population · Largest Cape Verdean population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.0%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
76.7%
+19.1 ptssince 2000
from 57.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.2%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.7 min
+49%since 2000
from 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.1%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
15.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
16.6%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 11.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 62.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
10.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
26.8%
−33.1 ptssince 2009
from 59.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
Female
49.2%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 52.9% in 2009
Foreign born
20.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.0%
−41.9 ptssince 2009
from 45.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2012
from 18.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.4%
−87.5 ptssince 2013
from 92.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.6%
+17.0 ptssince 2017
from 69.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
62.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2016
from 62.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
17.2%
+3.5 ptssince 2016
from 13.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married48.4%(19,554)
Married37.7%(15,240)
Widowed2.5%(1,010)
Divorced11.4%(4,606)
Women 15+
Never married42.1%(17,284)
Married37.1%(15,235)
Widowed8.7%(3,558)
Divorced12.2%(5,026)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to New Bedford

South Bend
Pop 103,201
Champaign
Pop 91,195
Peoria
Pop 110,920
Deerfield Beach
Pop 89,339
Places similar to New Bedford
Head to head

Compare New Bedford to nearby cities

NEW BEDFORD VS
Fall River
Income$56,673−1%
Home value$395,500+11%
Population95,298−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BEDFORD VS
Somerset
Income$112,677+98%
Home value$418,800+17%
Population18,298−82%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BEDFORD VS
Tiverton
Income$99,158+74%
Home value$407,200+14%
Population8,091−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NEW BEDFORD VS
Middleborough Center
Income$97,616+71%
Home value$424,900+19%
Population8,155−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

New Bedford, Massachusetts has about 100,998 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

The typical household in New Bedford, Massachusetts earns about $56,981 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is New Bedford, Massachusetts expensive?

In New Bedford, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $357,300, and the typical rent is about $1,137 a month.

How educated are people in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

About 17.0% of adults age 25 and over in New Bedford, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

About 20.6% of people in New Bedford, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

Has New Bedford, Massachusetts grown since 1990?

Yes, New Bedford, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,076 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
Massachusetts
Rankings
Highest income citiesFastest growing citiesMost educated cities
Compare
Compare New Bedford with another place

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →