Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fall River, MA vs New Bedford, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Fall River needs about $85,000 in New Bedford to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from New Bedford, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Fall River.
A few differences
- New Bedford is higher on median household income ($56,981 vs $56,673).
- New Bedford is lower on cost of living index (103 vs 105).
- Fall River is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,165/mo vs $1,183/mo).
Fall River vs New Bedford · facet by facet
| Facet | Fall River, MA | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $395,500 | $357,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,165/mo | $1,183/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 105 | 103 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $56,673 | $56,981 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Fall River, MA · New Bedford, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Fall River cheaper than New Bedford?
- New Bedford has the lower day-to-day cost index (103 vs 105 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in New Bedford equals $85,000 in Fall River?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fall River needs about $85,000 in New Bedford to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of New Bedford lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Fall River.