Question 1

Is New Bedford, MA or Waltham, MA cheaper to buy in?

Accepted Answer

New Bedford, MA is cheaper. The median home price in New Bedford, MA is approximately $280,000 and in Waltham, MA it is approximately $677,700 — a difference of $397,700.

Question 2

Is New Bedford, MA or Waltham, MA safer?

Accepted Answer

Waltham, MA scores higher on safety. New Bedford, MA has violent crime rated High and property crime rated High. Waltham, MA has violent crime rated Moderate and property crime rated Moderate.

Question 3

Is New Bedford, MA or Waltham, MA more walkable?

Accepted Answer

New Bedford, MA is more walkable. New Bedford, MA has a Walk Score of 22/100 and Waltham, MA has a Walk Score of 9/100.

Question 4

Which has better schools, New Bedford, MA or Waltham, MA?

Accepted Answer

Waltham, MA has higher-rated schools. New Bedford, MA has a school rating of 7.1/10 and Waltham, MA has a rating of 7.9/10.

Question 5

Should I live in New Bedford, MA or Waltham, MA?

Accepted Answer

Both neighborhoods have distinct trade-offs — review the data above to find your best fit.

Category	New Bedford, MA	Waltham, MA
Housing
Verdict	Think twice	Good for now
Median Price	$280K ✓ Lower price	$678K
Median Rent	$1K ✓ Lower rent	$2K
Median Income	$52K	$118K ✓ Higher income
Price Volatility	Moderate	Moderate
Getting Around
Walk Score	22/100 ✓ More walkable	9/100
Transit Score	17/100	17/100
Bike Score	N/A	N/A ✓ More bikeable
Commute	76 min	27 min ✓ Shorter commute
Safety & Environment
Safety Grade	F	D+ ✓ Safer
Violent Crime	High	Moderate ✓ Lower risk
Property Crime	High	Moderate ✓ Lower risk
Flood Risk	Low	Low
Air Quality	Moderate	Good ✓ Cleaner air
Community
Schools	7.1/10	7.9/10 ✓ Better schools
Best for	budget familiesremote workersseaside lovers	commuters to Bostonfamilies seeking strong schoolsmiddle to upper income households

New Bedford, MA vs Waltham, MA

Bottom line