New Bedford
Bristol County · Pop. 101,079
New Bedford has approved 2 of 6 ADU applications (33% approval rate) and has 7 of 10 bylaw provisions consistent with state law.
Based on 2 approved ADU applications and 101,079 residents
Permits
6 applications since the ADU law took effect in Feb 2025
Bylaw Consistency
New Bedford has no provisions that appear inconsistent with Chapter 150. Three provisions remain under review — short-term rental restrictions, design guidelines for detached ADUs, and a special permit requirement for larger ADUs. The remaining 7 provisions are consistent with state law.
Cost Snapshot
No cost data available yet for New Bedford.
Try the cost estimatorADU Impact on Housing Production
In 2024, New Bedford issued 7 total residential building permits. In the first year of the ADU law, 2 ADU permits were approved.
Limited 2024 building permit data available. ADU share of production not shown.
Source: Census Bureau (2024) via UMass Donahue Institute; EOHLC ADU Survey (2025)
How New Bedford Compares
Next Steps
Sources: EOHLC ADU Survey 2025. Population estimates from 2024 Census ACS.
Disclaimer: ADU Pulse provides data for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or construction advice.Bylaw consistency analysis reflects our interpretation of public records and may not reflect the most current local amendments.
See methodology for details on data collection, scoring, and consistency analysis.