The typical owner-occupied home in New Bedford is worth about $357,300, 36% below the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 7% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,338 a year in property taxes, about 1.21% of their home's value, higher than the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $56,981 a year, so the median home costs 6.3 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 40% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
New Bedford at a glance
| New Bedford | Massachusetts | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $357,300 | $562,100 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,338 | $5,992 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.21% | 1.07% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $56,981 | $103,960 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 40% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 66% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,041 | $2,726 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.6% | 21.9% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,137 | $1,762 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.6% | 30.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1964 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 4.7% | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 100,998 | 7,044,056 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in New Bedford
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median New Bedford home of $357,300 with 20% down costs about $2,432 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,027, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $104,229 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 51% of the median New Bedford household income of $56,981; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $195,000.
The median rent here is $1,137 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,295 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $71,460 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $285,840 |
| Principal and interest | $1,923 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $360 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $149 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,432 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $12,506 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $350,828 |
| Principal and interest | $2,360 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $360 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $149 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $158 |
| Total per month | $3,027 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in New Bedford
What is the median home value in New Bedford?
About $357,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in New Bedford?
Homeowners pay a median $4,338 a year, which is about 1.21% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in New Bedford?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,432 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $104,229 a year.
More about New Bedford
- Mortgage Refinance in New Bedford
- Debt Relief in New Bedford
- Home Equity Loans in New Bedford
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data