New Bedford and Fall River Among Poorest Places in Massachusetts

Massachusetts communities, including two on the SouthCoast, have landed on a list that no one is too eager to make.

It's crazy to think that about a century ago, New Bedford was the whaling capital of the world, making it one of the wealthiest places on the planet. Fast forward to 2023 and it along with Fall River, also once one of the wealthiest in the world, are among the poorest cities in Massachusetts.

The good news for SouthCoast residents? Neither of those cities is the poorest.

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The rankings come from the latest U.S. Census data, specifically the government's American Community Survey, using household income as a guide.

Another silver lining, according to that data, is that Massachusetts as a whole was the third-wealthiest state in the country in 2020, the most recent year for which figures are available, with median household income at about $84,000.

Census data show New Bedford (No. 6)  ranks slightly poorer than Fall River (No. 7) As for the poorest in the state, that designation goes to Lawrence, which is followed by Springfield, Amherst, Holyoke and Chelsea. North Adams comes in at No. 8, Southbridge at No. 9 and Brockton at No. 10.

Well, I think I'm going to continue to be as frugal as my Portuguese grandmother taught me to be. Unless I move to Dover. According to the datye, that's the richest community in the state.