Compare towns
New Bedford vs Townsend vs Acushnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Acushnet has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | New Bedford | Townsend | Acushnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,998Highest |
9,100Lowest |
10,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
46±2.8Highest 15% above MA |
| Acushnet and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 | $56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$89,503±$9k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$436,400±$34kHighest 22% below MA |
| Acushnet and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,170±$354 34% below MA |
| Townsend and Acushnet 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,647 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #263 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #118 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Acushnet |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
13.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.