Gresham OR 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)

Gresham, OR

Oregon · Population: 112,818

  • Median HH Income$73,608
  • Median Home Price$472,119
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+23.6%

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
Gresham
112,818
Gresham +
New Bedford
100,731
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Gresham
N/A
New Bedford
N/A
Median Age
Gresham
37.2
New Bedford
37.0
New Bedford +
Foreign Born
Gresham
16.5%
New Bedford
20.7%
New Bedford +
White
Gresham
67.7%
Gresham +
New Bedford
57.5%
Black
Gresham
4.4%
New Bedford
6.0%
New Bedford +
Asian
Gresham
5.7%
Gresham +
New Bedford
1.5%
Hispanic
Gresham
21.1%
New Bedford
24.5%
New Bedford +
Spanish at Home
Gresham
N/A
New Bedford
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Gresham
$73,608
Gresham +
New Bedford
$56,025
Per Capita Income
Gresham
$35,390
Gresham +
New Bedford
$30,475
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Gresham
$63,691
New Bedford
$85,405
New Bedford +
Unemployment Rate
Gresham
5.3%
Gresham +
New Bedford
7.6%
Poverty Rate
Gresham
12.7%
Gresham +
New Bedford
19.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Gresham
23.6%
Gresham +
New Bedford
16.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Gresham
$472,119
New Bedford
$439,767
New Bedford +
Homeownership Rate
Gresham
56.1%
Gresham +
New Bedford
40.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Gresham
355
New Bedford
326
New Bedford +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Gresham
3001
New Bedford
1086
New Bedford +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Gresham
31.2%
Gresham +
New Bedford
36.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Gresham
11.3%
Gresham +
New Bedford
13.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Gresham
20.4%
Gresham +
New Bedford
22.0%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Gresham
11.0%
Gresham +
New Bedford
11.1%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Gresham
16.2%
New Bedford
16.0%
New Bedford +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Gresham
15.3%
Gresham +
New Bedford
21.4%

Climate

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

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Gresham
9.0 µg/m³
New Bedford
7.2 µg/m³
New Bedford +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Gresham
55.0%
New Bedford
75.0%
New Bedford +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Gresham
28.8 min
New Bedford
27.2 min
New Bedford +

Which City is Right for You?

Gresham leads in median household income at $73,608, 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 355 in Gresham. Gresham has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and New Bedford has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Gresham scores better with a lower obesity rate of 31.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Gresham & New Bedford