What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).

Acushnet has the most homeowners (85.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	New Bedford	Acushnet
People
Population	100,998Highest	10,624Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA	46±2.8Highest 15% above MA
Kids under 18	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%	20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.9%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%	26.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	New Bedford and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA	$89,503±$9kHighest 14% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA	$436,400±$34kHighest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA	$1,170±$354Highest 34% below MA
	Acushnet and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA	$4,647Highest 22% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Acushnet and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.6%Highest MA: 10%	6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 15% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#263 of 282 in MA	#118 of 282 in MA
School district	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical	Acushnet
High school 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

MA 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.