Compare towns
New Bedford vs Webster vs Worcester
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 the most kids (23.9% under 18).
Webster has the most homeowners (59.8%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Webster | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,998 |
17,748Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8 8% below MA |
39.9±2.9Highest about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Webster and New Bedford 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% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$72,895±$6kHighest 30% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
| Webster and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
| Worcester and Webster 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 |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,338 28% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,733Highest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester 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% |
12.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 15% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Worcester and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Webster | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | Bartlett High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.6Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.