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 High-density area
- $55,237
- Median income Below-median income area
- $345,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 17.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
New Bedford pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- 21st 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 02740 (New Bedford, MA) rose +6.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 293.0 in 2023 to 311.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Massachusetts ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,549. The poverty rate is 19.8%, with unemployment at 8.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $345,800 (42% below the average Massachusetts ZIP), and median rent is $1,086; owner occupancy is 39.6%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Bristol County, so 02740 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
137 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
129 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
103 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
100 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
98 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 02740?
38.1
Median Age
51.1%
Male
48.9%
Female
17.8%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$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
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
20,654housing units
20,654
Total Housing Units
19,696
Occupied Units
958
Vacant Units
2.29
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$345,800
Median Home Value
-42% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 02740
New Bedford (02740)
43,087 residents
- 02745
New Bedford (02745)
24,576 residents
- 02747
North Dartmouth (02747)
22,927 residents
- 02719 15,873
Fairhaven (02719)
15,873 residents
- 02790 15,717
Westport (02790)
15,717 residents
- 02746 15,342
New Bedford (02746)
15,342 residents
- 02744 11,900
New Bedford (02744)
11,900 residents
- 02748 11,442
South Dartmouth (02748)
11,442 residents
- 02743 10,307
Acushnet (02743)
10,307 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 02740 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 02740 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 02717
East Freetown (02717)
$130,625 median income
- 02739
Mattapoisett (02739)
$130,241 median income
- 02747
North Dartmouth (02747)
$102,079 median income
- 02748
South Dartmouth (02748)
$97,361 median income
- 02790
Westport (02790)
$97,250 median income
- 02719
Fairhaven (02719)
$95,965 median income
- 02743
Acushnet (02743)
$89,593 median income
- 02745
New Bedford (02745)
$74,034 median income
- 02744
New Bedford (02744)
$58,675 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 02740, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (43,087 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Bristol County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 02740's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 02740 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where New Bedford, MA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.