New Bedford, MA vs Lowell, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New Bedford, MA and Lowell, MA spend within 1.6% of each other per resident — $49,215 versus $48,457 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Lowell, MA edges New Bedford, MA on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 50/100 (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, Lowell, MA carries the lighter load at $470 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 Lowell, MA at $31,397.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 31% of total revenue in New Bedford, MA and 15% in Lowell, MA.
Summary
New Bedford spends 1.6% more per capita than Lowell ($758/person difference). Lowell, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 50/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $123 | $639 |
| Income Tax | $5 | $274 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,480 | $4,160 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,982 | $1,061 |
| Other | $4,106 | $2,654 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $252 | $194 |
| Highways & Roads | $886 | $182 |
| Education | $31,923 | $31,397 |
| Public Welfare | $708 | $349 |
| Health | $255 | $139 |
| Hospitals | $610 | $425 |
| Parks & Recreation | $315 | $292 |
| Housing | $2,315 | $2,733 |
| Sewerage | $99 | $126 |
| Utilities | $887 | $1,234 |
| Other | $10,966 | $11,388 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.