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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

New Bedford

Massachusetts · 99,922 residents · 20.001 sq mi
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The short version

New Bedford has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $22,647. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $114,900. Households here earn about 39% less than the Massachusetts median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.6
US median: 33.0
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
99,922
+7%vs 2000
vs 93,768 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.6
−6%vs 2000
vs 35.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
90K93K96K99K102K1990201020202024New Bedford
2024101K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.5%(7,520)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97%(7,021)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.5%(6,514)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.6%(6,635)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.7%(7,678)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.8%(16,738)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.4%(12,423)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.9%(8,851)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.2%(9,180)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 749.6%(9,599)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.7%(5,702)
US avg: 4%
85 and over2.1%(2,061)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,647
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $27,569 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$10,923
−30%vs 2000
vs $15,602 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
16.8%
−3.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 20.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$114,900
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $113,500 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$404
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $455 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
43.8%
+0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 43.8% in 2000
56.2% rent
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%
1990
White, non-Hispanic87.8%(87,758)
Black3.8%(3,833)
Hispanic / Latino5.6%(5,622)
Asian0.3%(345)
Other8%(7,986)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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
9.7%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
49.7%
−8.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 57.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
2.8%
−0.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.4 min
+5%vs 2000
vs 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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

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Compare New Bedford to nearby cities

NEW BEDFORD VS
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Income$56,673+150%
Home value$395,500+244%
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NEW BEDFORD VS
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NEW BEDFORD VS
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NEW BEDFORD VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

New Bedford, Massachusetts has about 99,922 residents according to the 1990 Census.

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

The typical household in New Bedford, Massachusetts earns about $22,647 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 $114,900, and the typical rent is about $404 a month.

How educated are people in New Bedford, Massachusetts?

About 9.7% 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 16.8% of people in New Bedford, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →