New Bedford, MA vs Cambridge, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cambridge, MA outspends New Bedford, MA by a wide margin per resident — $130,737 versus $49,215, a 166% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Cambridge, MA edges New Bedford, MA on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 56/100 (grade C) to 49/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Cambridge, MA carries the lighter load at $420 per resident versus $506 for New Bedford, MA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in New Bedford, MA at $31,923 per resident and in Cambridge, MA at $25,601.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 31% of total revenue in New Bedford, MA and 16% in Cambridge, MA.
Summary
Cambridge spends 62.4% more per capita than New Bedford ($81,521/person difference). Cambridge, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $123 | $1,121 |
| Income Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,480 | $7,117 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,982 | $1,585 |
| Other | $4,106 | $6,370 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $252 | $672 |
| Highways & Roads | $886 | $467 |
| Education | $31,923 | $25,601 |
| Public Welfare | $708 | $737 |
| Health | $255 | $998 |
| Hospitals | $610 | $508 |
| Parks & Recreation | $315 | $2,179 |
| Housing | $2,315 | $4,715 |
| Sewerage | $99 | $1,718 |
| Utilities | $887 | $2,291 |
| General Admin | $0 | $76,486 |
| Other | $10,966 | $14,364 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.