Arvada CO vs New Bedford MA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Arvada, CO

Colorado · Population: 122,835

  • Median HH Income$113,396
  • Median Home Price$617,536
  • Unemployment3.9%
  • Bachelor's+50.0%

New Bedford, MA

Massachusetts · Population: 100,731

  • Median HH Income$56,025
  • Median Home Price$439,767
  • Unemployment7.6%
  • Bachelor's+16.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Arvada
122,835
Arvada +
New Bedford
100,731
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Arvada
N/A
New Bedford
N/A
Median Age
Arvada
40.2
New Bedford
37.0
New Bedford +
Foreign Born
Arvada
5.2%
New Bedford
20.7%
New Bedford +
White
Arvada
82.8%
Arvada +
New Bedford
57.5%
Black
Arvada
1.0%
New Bedford
6.0%
New Bedford +
Asian
Arvada
2.6%
Arvada +
New Bedford
1.5%
Hispanic
Arvada
15.4%
New Bedford
24.5%
New Bedford +
Spanish at Home
Arvada
N/A
New Bedford
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Arvada
$113,396
Arvada +
New Bedford
$56,025
Per Capita Income
Arvada
$56,655
Arvada +
New Bedford
$30,475
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Arvada
$76,653
New Bedford
$85,405
New Bedford +
Unemployment Rate
Arvada
3.9%
Arvada +
New Bedford
7.6%
Poverty Rate
Arvada
6.0%
Arvada +
New Bedford
19.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Arvada
50.0%
Arvada +
New Bedford
16.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Arvada
$617,536
New Bedford
$439,767
New Bedford +
Homeownership Rate
Arvada
74.9%
Arvada +
New Bedford
40.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Arvada
512
New Bedford
326
New Bedford +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Arvada
3234
New Bedford
1086
New Bedford +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Arvada
23.4%
Arvada +
New Bedford
36.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Arvada
8.3%
Arvada +
New Bedford
13.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Arvada
15.1%
Arvada +
New Bedford
22.0%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Arvada
8.4%
Arvada +
New Bedford
11.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Arvada
19.9%
New Bedford
16.0%
New Bedford +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Arvada
10.3%
Arvada +
New Bedford
21.4%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Arvada
N/A
New Bedford
51.8°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Arvada
N/A
New Bedford
51.9 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Arvada
6.2 µg/m³
Arvada +
New Bedford
7.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Arvada
75.0%
New Bedford
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Arvada
28.6 min
New Bedford
27.2 min
New Bedford +

Which City is Right for You?

Arvada leads in median household income at $113,396, while new Bedford offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $439,767. On public safety, New Bedford is safer with a violent crime rate of 326 per 100,000 residents, compared to 512 in Arvada. Arvada has a lower unemployment rate at 3.9%, and Arvada has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Arvada scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Arvada & New Bedford