City comparison
New Bedford, MA is about 90 miles (150 km) from Springfield, MA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 100 miles, or about 1 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from New Bedford, MA to Springfield, MA takes about 11 min, covering roughly 90 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Springfield has a population of 155,305, vs 100,620 in New Bedford — about 1.5× larger by population. By land area, Springfield covers about 32 sq mi vs 20 sq mi for New Bedford.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | New Bedford | Springfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,026/mo | $1,047/mo | 2.0% higher in Springfield |
| Median home value | $291,300 | $198,500 | 46.8% higher in New Bedford |
| Median household income | $54,604 | $47,677 | 14.5% higher in New Bedford |
| Groceries index | 97.5 | 97.4 | ≈ equal (New Bedford slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 144.3 | 150.0 | 3.9% higher in Springfield |
| Transportation index | 101.7 | 100.7 | 1.0% higher in New Bedford |
| Healthcare index | 102.5 | 101.5 | 1.0% higher in New Bedford |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in New Bedford, you'd need $89,928 in Springfield to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Springfield, MA is about 10.1% cheaper overall than New Bedford, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% higher in New Bedford than in Springfield. If you earn $80,000 in New Bedford, you'd need about $71,942 in Springfield to keep the same standard of living.