Irving TX 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)

Irving, TX

Texas · Population: 255,036

  • Median HH Income$79,641
  • Median Home Price$344,888
  • Unemployment4.3%
  • Bachelor's+41.6%

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
Irving
255,036
Irving +
New Bedford
100,731
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Irving
N/A
New Bedford
N/A
Median Age
Irving
32.8
Irving +
New Bedford
37.0
Foreign Born
Irving
41.9%
Irving +
New Bedford
20.7%
White
Irving
36.7%
New Bedford
57.5%
New Bedford +
Black
Irving
12.9%
Irving +
New Bedford
6.0%
Asian
Irving
22.6%
Irving +
New Bedford
1.5%
Hispanic
Irving
43.0%
Irving +
New Bedford
24.5%
Spanish at Home
Irving
N/A
New Bedford
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Irving
$79,641
Irving +
New Bedford
$56,025
Per Capita Income
Irving
$39,462
Irving +
New Bedford
$30,475
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Irving
$63,758
New Bedford
$85,405
New Bedford +
Unemployment Rate
Irving
4.3%
Irving +
New Bedford
7.6%
Poverty Rate
Irving
11.0%
Irving +
New Bedford
19.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Irving
41.6%
Irving +
New Bedford
16.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Irving
$344,888
Irving +
New Bedford
$439,767
Homeownership Rate
Irving
38.3%
New Bedford
40.0%
New Bedford +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Irving
442
New Bedford
326
New Bedford +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Irving
2339
New Bedford
1086
New Bedford +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Irving
31.6%
Irving +
New Bedford
36.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Irving
10.5%
Irving +
New Bedford
13.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Irving
16.2%
Irving +
New Bedford
22.0%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Irving
20.6%
New Bedford
11.1%
New Bedford +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Irving
17.0%
New Bedford
16.0%
New Bedford +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Irving
11.2%
Irving +
New Bedford
21.4%

Climate

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

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Irving
26.0 min
Irving +
New Bedford
27.2 min

Which City is Right for You?

Irving leads in median household income at $79,641, while irving offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $344,888. On public safety, New Bedford is safer with a violent crime rate of 326 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in Irving. Irving has a lower unemployment rate at 4.3%, and New Bedford has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Irving scores better with a lower obesity rate of 31.6%.

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About Irving & New Bedford