Compare towns
Acushnet vs New Bedford vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acushnet has the oldest population (median age 46).
New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% rent).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Acushnet | New Bedford | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,624 |
100,998Highest |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8Highest 18% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Acushnet and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| New Bedford and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9k 11% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34k 31% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 17% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 49% above U.S. |
$4,338Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acushnet and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Acushnet | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | None in town | New Bedford High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.