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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

New Bedford, MA

Population: 100,620 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
49/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$5.0B
Per Capita
$49,215
Total Revenue
$2.4B
Total Debt
$50.9M

Spending Breakdown

Education
64.9%$3.2B
Other
22.3%$1.1B
Housing & Community Development
4.7%$232.9M
Utilities
1.8%$89.3M
Highways & Roads
1.8%$89.2M
Public Welfare
1.4%$71.3M
Hospitals
1.2%$61.4M
Parks & Recreation
0.6%$31.7M
Health
0.5%$25.7M
Fire Protection
0.5%$25.4M
Sewerage
0.2%$10.0M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.5%$12.3M
Income Tax
0.0%$532K
Intergovernmental
31.2%$752.7M
Charges & Fees
8.3%$199.4M
Other
17.1%$413.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$252/person
Highways & Roads$886/person
Parks & Recreation$315/person
Education$31,923/person
Health$255/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)5/100
Debt Burden (20%)89/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$50.9M
Long-Term Debt$1.4M
Debt Per Capita$506
Cash & Securities$15.3M

Compare Cities

See how New Bedford stacks up against another city.

vs Boston, MAvs Worcester, MAvs Springfield, MA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Massachusetts

Boston, MA

Pop. 666K

C
Total Spending
$48.1B
Per Capita
$72,299

Worcester, MA

Pop. 204K

C
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$42,049

Springfield, MA

Pop. 155K

D
Total Spending
$10.2B
Per Capita
$65,626

Cambridge, MA

Pop. 118K

C
Total Spending
$15.4B
Per Capita
$130,737

Compare New Bedford With

Boston, MA

Spending: $72,299/person · Grade: C

Worcester, MA

Spending: $42,049/person · Grade: C

Springfield, MA

Spending: $65,626/person · Grade: D

Cambridge, MA

Spending: $130,737/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

New Bedford, MA spends $49,215 per resident, based on total expenditures of $5.0B for a population of 100,620. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (49/100).

New Bedford, MA has total expenditures of $5.0B and total revenue of $2.4B. The city carries $50.9M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

New Bedford, MA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

New Bedford, MA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (49/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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