PlainZIP

New Bedford, MA · standard

ZIP Code 02740

Bristol County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

43,087
2,926/sq mi
$55,237
Median income
$345,800
Median home value
17.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

New Bedford pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 27%
home value, US ZIPs
2,926
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 02740 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 02740 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, with 43,087 residents across 14.7 square miles, a density of 2,926 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 02740 reports a modest median household income of $55,237 (52% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $30,549. Poverty here runs at 19.8%, with unemployment measured at 8.1%. On housing, the median home value is $345,800 (42% below the state average) with median rent at $1,086 per month, and 39.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.1, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 02740, plus 6 more within Bristol County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 02740

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in New Bedford, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 02740.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 02740, New Bedford, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

43,087

Population

14.7

Area (sq mi)

2,926

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 02740?

38.1

Median Age

51.1%

Male

48.9%

Female

17.8%

Foreign-Born

White 53.4%
African American 7.0%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 19.5%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,237

Median Household Income

-52% vs state

$30,549

Per Capita Income

19.8%

Poverty Rate

8.1%

Unemployment Rate

23.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 02740 ranks nationally

New Bedford, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,237 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 51.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

20,654

Total Housing Units

19,696

Occupied Units

958

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 39.6%
Renter 60.4%

$345,800

Median Home Value

-42% vs state

$1,086

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.4%

YoY Change (2024)

312

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+212%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 02740 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +212% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.5% 198
2021 +16.8% 231
2022 +14.1% 264
2023 +10.9% 293
2024 +6.4% 312

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 930 business establishments in ZIP 02740, employing approximately 13,755 people with a combined annual payroll of $785,851,000.

930

Businesses

13,755

Employees

$785.9M

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 137 14.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 129 13.9%
Other services (except public administration) 103 11.1%
Retail trade 100 10.8%
Accommodation and food services 98 10.5%
Construction 59 6.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 46 5.0%
Wholesale trade 45 4.8%
Finance and insurance 39 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 38 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 36 3.9%
Manufacturing 30 3.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 26 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 1.9%
Educational services 9 1.0%
Information 6 0.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.5%
Utilities 4 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 02740 vs 02746 →

ZIP 02740 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02740 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 02740 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 02740 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
02746 New Bedford, MA 15,342 1.6 mi
02744 New Bedford, MA 11,900 2.4 mi
02719 Fairhaven, MA 15,873 3.4 mi
02745 New Bedford, MA 24,576 4.3 mi
02747 North Dartmouth, MA 22,927 4.5 mi
02743 Acushnet, MA 10,307 5.6 mi
02748 South Dartmouth, MA 11,442 5.7 mi
02739 Mattapoisett, MA 6,045 6.6 mi
02717 East Freetown, MA 4,745 8.5 mi
02790 Westport, MA 15,717 7.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bristol County

02780 standard
Taunton, MA
Pop: 49,036
02703 standard
Attleboro, MA
Pop: 43,593
02720 standard
Fall River, MA
Pop: 30,287
02760 standard
North Attleboro, MA
Pop: 26,739
02721 standard
Fall River, MA
Pop: 26,290
02745 standard
New Bedford, MA
Pop: 24,576

Related Areas

Bristol County New Bedford, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 02740 in? ▼
ZIP code 02740 (New Bedford) is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. Bristol County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bristol-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 02740? ▼
ZIP code 02740 in New Bedford, MA has a population of 43,087 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 02740? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 02740 is $55,237, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 02740? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 02740 is $345,800, which is 24% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 02740? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 02740 is White at 53.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 23.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 02740? ▼
ZIP code 02740 has 930 business establishments employing approximately 13,755 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 02740? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 02740 are: Health care and social assistance (137), Professional, scientific, and technical services (129), Other services (except public administration) (103). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 02740? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 02740 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 212%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 02740? ▼
In ZIP code 02740, 51.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 02740? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 02740 is 23.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 02740? ▼
In ZIP code 02740, approximately 39.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 60.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 02740? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 02740 is 19.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.