New Bedford, MA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on New Bedford

New Bedford Public Schools serve a large and diverse student body across the city of New Bedford and small portions of neighboring communities. The district offers pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with an enrollment that makes it one of the larger systems in Bristol County. Roughly two in five students are Hispanic, about one in three are White, and a substantial share are Black or multiracial. The district does not report the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, nor does it publish counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a family looking to understand the level of economic need or special-education support will need to seek that information directly from the district or from individual school profiles.

On state assessments, New Bedford’s results place it in the bottom quartile among Bristol County’s districts for overall proficiency across tested grades and subjects. In math and English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient is low relative to the county median, and science and social studies results follow a similar pattern. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate is also in the bottom quartile, meaning a significant portion of students miss substantial school time. A parent may want to ask the district what supports are in place to address attendance, as this connects directly to academic progress.

The comparison fact-set does not include a four-year graduation rate for the district, so that metric is absent. For a full K-12 system, this is a notable gap; families may wish to check the state’s own reporting or contact the district for that figure.

In terms of spending, New Bedford’s per-pupil current expenditure sits in the middle range of the county, in the upper half. That suggests the district invests a moderate amount per student relative to its neighbors, though spending alone does not guarantee outcomes.

Housing in the New Bedford area is more affordable than the Massachusetts statewide median, but prices and rents have been rising. Rents have increased noticeably in recent years, and mortgage rates remain elevated. For a family considering a move, the cost of owning a home is high relative to local incomes, and the rental market is tightening. The county’s market shows a sharp increase in pending listings, which may signal faster turnover, while the median listing price has edged down slightly. On balance, the area offers relatively lower entry costs compared to much of eastern Massachusetts, but affordability remains a concern.

Publicly reported district developments include a new three-year strategic plan approved by the school committee for 2024 through 2027. The plan targets early childhood education, literacy improvement, college and career readiness, and family engagement. At the same time, the district approved a budget increase for fiscal year 2025, with extra investment in curriculum, technology, and social-emotional learning. Declining enrollment has prompted active discussions about consolidating or repurposing school facilities. Such changes could affect which schools students attend and how neighborhoods are served, so a parent should pay attention to upcoming facility decisions.

The district runs over twenty schools, including elementary schools, middle schools, a comprehensive high school, and a few alternative programs such as Trinity Day Academy and Whaling City Junior/Senior High School. One prior innovation school shows as closed. The mix of traditional neighborhood schools and specialized programs gives families some choice within the district, though the overall academic picture, attendance challenges, and enrollment decline are the primary forces shaping the system.

New Bedford Public Schools is a district with clear priorities for improvement, a large and diverse population, and notable academic hurdles. The rising housing costs and facility uncertainty add to the context a family should consider when evaluating the fit.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

12,488

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 45%

Black 14%

White 34%

Asian 1%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

19%

37%

Gr 4

18%

37%

Gr 5

17%

34%

Gr 6

22%

50%

Gr 7

15%

38%

Gr 8

17%

31%

Gr 38

18%

38%

Math

Gr 3

16%

36%

Gr 4

18%

43%

Gr 5

17%

35%

Gr 6

20%

43%

Gr 7

11%

30%

Gr 8

10%

23%

Gr 38

15%

35%

Science

Gr 5

19%

36%

Gr 8

25%

Gr 38

14%

30%

Social studies

Gr 8

11%

24%

Schools in this District

25 schools are officially reported under this district.

Elizabeth Carter Brooks

Irwin M. Jacobs Elementary School

Keith Middle School

Carlos Pacheco

New Bedford High

Normandin Middle School

Roosevelt Middle School

Sgt Wm H Carney Academy

Thomas R Rodman

William H Taylor

Trinity Day Academy

Whaling City Junior/Senior High School

Renaissance Community Innovation School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

19%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

22%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

17%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

14%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$446,254

Year-over-year change+2.8%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$424K to $673K

vs. state typical0.67x

vs. national typical1.21x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
02745	New Bedford	$454K	+2.7%	47.2%
02740	New Bedford	$424K	+2.5%	28.7%
02746	New Bedford	$431K	+2.9%	14.2%
02744	New Bedford	$449K	+3.5%	6.5%
02747	Dartmouth	$586K	+4.8%	3.3%
02743	Acushnet	$533K	+3.4%	0.0%
02748	Dartmouth	$673K	+5.1%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,953/mo

Year-over-year change+9.8%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$1,763 to $2,025/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
02745	New Bedford	$1,945	—	47.2%
02740	New Bedford	$2,010	+9.8%	28.7%
02744	New Bedford	$1,763	—	6.5%
02748	Dartmouth	$2,025	—	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,252/mo

Home price / national median income5.3x

Annual rent / national median income28.0%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$299/mo

Market Activity: Bristol County

Median listing price$575,000

Median listing price YoY-5.0%

Median price per sq ft$330

Median price per sq ft YoY-0.9%

Median days on market30.3 days

Median days on market YoY+4.3%

Active listings633

Active listings YoY+11.6%

New listings548

New listings YoY+7.0%

Pending listings769

Pending listings YoY+457.3%

Hotness: median listing price$577,950

Hotness: median listing price YoY-3.7%

Supply score94.4

Supply score YoY+0.8%

Demand score88.4

Demand score YoY-0.5%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$661,755 (+1.5% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.