Block
New Bedford, Massachusetts
34 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1885 and the latest in 1994. It stands in New Bedford City. It lies in ZIP code area 02740. It stands on Fish Island. The Survey maps it on the New Bedford North quadrangle. 101,079 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 49 feet above sea level.
Population over time
3 figuresNew Bedford grew from 95,072 to 101,079 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95,072 | |
| 2011 | 95,115 | +43 (+0%) |
| 2020 | 101,079 | +5,964 (+6%) |
Then and now
1885 to 1994The same ground, surveyed 109 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
Topographic sheets covering this place
34 sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1885 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1888 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS Fairhaven quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS Fairhaven quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1893 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1918 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:62500
- 1936 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:24000
- 1941 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:31680
- 1941 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:31680
- 1941 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:31680
- 1942 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:125000
- 1942 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:125000
- 1947 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1947 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1947 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1947 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1947 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1948 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:24000
- 1948 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1963 USGS Providence quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:24000
- 1977 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:25000
- 1979 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:25000
- 1979 USGS New Bedford North quadrangle1:25000
- 1986 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:100000
- 1994 USGS New Bedford quadrangle1:100000
Photographs
8 photographs, 1935 to 1942Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1935. Library of Congress
Delano, Jack, 1941. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Collier, John, Jr, 1942. Library of Congress
Fires nearby
28 since 2015The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 28 fires within 5 miles of New Bedford between 2015 and 2020, burning about 19 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 14 |
| Debris and open burning | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 September 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 9 August 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 23 August 2016 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1.0 acres | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 22 August 2020 | Fireworks | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 2 August 2020 | Smoking | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 11 August 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 4 May 2017 | Misuse of fire by a minor | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
| 28 May 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Specimens collected nearby
12 of 2,215 shownMuseums hold 2,215 specimens collected within 10 miles of New Bedford between 1824 and 1975: 900 Animalia, 630 Plantae, 570 Fungi, 87 Chromista, 23 Bacteria, 5 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. B. Gridley, A. B. Seymour, A. Clark and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.
| Image | Species | Year | Collected by | Where, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gamochaeta purpurea (L.) Cabrera | 1824 | T. A. Greene | |
 | Lythrum salicaria L. | 1831 | T. A. Greene | |
 | Mentha aquatica L. | 1831 | Collector unknown | New Bedford. [Inferred county from precise loc.] |
 | Trypethelium virens Tuck. | 1848 | ex herb. Oakes | New Bedford. |
 | Endocarpon pusillum Hedw. | 1858 | H. Willey | Fort Phoenix. Fairhaven. |
 | Menegazzia terebrata (Hoffm.) A.Massal. | 1860 | H. Willey | New Bedford |
 | Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) | 1860 | Alan Poole | Westport, Westport River, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary |
 | Scolopax minor J.F.Gmelin, 1789 | 1860 | Alan Poole | Westport |
 | Abrothallus parmeliarum (Sommerf.) Nyl., 1869 | 1862 | Willey H. | Weymouth, New Bedford |
 | Agyrium rufum (Pers.) Fr. | 1862 | Willey Henry | New Bedford |
 | Anaptychia palmatula (Michx.) Vain., 1899 | 1862 | H. Willey | New Bedford. |
 | Anisomeridium polypori (Ellis & Everh.) M.E.Barr | 1862 | H. Willey | New Bedford |
All 2,215 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Mines and quarries nearby
7 within 5 milesThe federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of New Bedford: 4 past producers, 2 producers, 1 unknown. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Stone. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Stone Inc | Stone | Past Producer | ||
| Acushnet Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Unknown | ||
| Blue Stone Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Clearwater Pit and Plant | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Dartmouth Town Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Medeiros Washed Sand & Stone Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Pine Hill Sand and Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | Sedimentary |
Storms nearby
22 since 1996The National Weather Service names New Bedford in 22 storm reports between 1996 and 2023: 11 flood, 4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 heavy rain. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Bedford | 1 killed | no account filed |
| March 2008 | Flood | New Bedford | $50,000 | The Swansea Mall parking lot flooded. In New Bedford: Acushnet Avenue and one lane of Route 18 North were closed due to flooding at their intersections with Hillman Street, Acushnet Avenue was also flooded at Wamsutta Street, Buttonwood Brook went out of its banks flooding several yards on Hawthorne Street, Sawyer and Purchase Streets were flooded. Several basements flooded on Riverside Avenue in Somerset. In Fall River: McGee and Cedar Streets, New Boston Road, and Eastern Avenue were flooded with vehicles stuck in flood waters. In addition, numerous basements were flooded. Union Street and Burt Street near Tremont Street were flooded in Taunton. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Bedford | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 2021 | Flood | New Bedford | $20,000 | Several streets were closed due to flooding and several basements were flooded, but there were no evacuations needed in the city. |
| March 2014 | Flood | New Bedford | $20,000 | Flooding continued after three to five inches of rain fell across the region earlier in the day. In New Bedford, Parker Street near New Bedford High School was closed due to continued flooding. Dartmouth Street was washed out between Rockland and Spooner Streets. The road was closed for repairs as the asphalt washed away. In Acushnet, Main Street near Clems Way was flooded and impassable. |
| December 2012 | Flood | New Bedford | $15,000 | Flooding was reported in New Bedford on parts of Route 18, Purchase Street, and at the intersection of Rockdale, Coggeshall and Sawyer Streets. Route 18 was closed in both directions for a time because of water up to 30 inches deep flooding the roadway. The I-195 eastbound exit ramp to Route 18 South was closed for a brief time due to water covering the roadway. In Fairhaven, flooding affected Route 6 at Green Street as well as on Bridge and Spring Streets, where as much as 18 inches of water covered the road. Two cars were stranded on Adams Street after attempting to drive through the flooded roadway. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | New Bedford | $15,000 | no account filed |
| July 2015 | Flood | New Bedford | $5,000 | Minor street flooding occurred along Route 18 by the Royal restaurant and Tarkiln Hill Road and Kings Highway. A car was stuck in flood waters at Weld Street and Route 18. |
| August 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Bedford | $5,000 | Trees on Peckham Road were downed by thunderstorm winds. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | New Bedford | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Lightning | New Bedford | $2,000 | no account filed |
| September 2022 | Flash Flood | New Bedford | $1,000 | In New Bedford, Dartmouth Street at Rockdale Avenue was flooded to the point where DPW assistance was required. Padanaram Ave. was also flooded. Report relayed by amateur radio. |
| August 2023 | Flood | New Bedford | - | In New Bedford, there were several reports of vehicles stuck in flooding on Orchard St and River St with flooding also on Dartmouth St at Hickory St. |
| October 2019 | Flood | New Bedford | - | In New Bedford, Cove Road was closed from Stapleton Street to County Street, due to a reported 2.5 feet of flooding. |
| October 2019 | Flood | New Bedford | - | In New Bedford, flooding closed Rivet Street between Briggs Street and Orchard Street. |
| January 2018 | Flood | New Bedford | - | At 1252 AM, Kempton Street was reported flooded and impassable between Rockdale Avenue and Jenny Lind Street. |
| June 2010 | Flood | New Bedford | - | Portions of Acushnet Avenue (Route 18) and Coggeshall Street were closed near Interstate 195 due to flooding. Several cars were stuck in flood waters on Route 6 near Route 140. |
| February 2008 | Flood | New Bedford | - | Several roads were closed due to flooding in New Bedford. Some of these include: Coggeshall Street, portions of Route 18, and Sawyer Street. In Somerset, Buffington Brook went out of its banks, flooding County Street and a nearby park. |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Bedford | - | Trees and wires down in the South End. |
| March 2000 | Heavy Rain | New Bedford | - | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Hail | New Bedford | - | no account filed |
| October 1998 | Heavy Rain | New Bedford | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westview Park | 1.2 miles | 34 | |
| Fairhaven | 1.6 miles | 34 | |
| Bliss Corner | 1.7 miles | 35 | |
| Rockdale | 1.7 miles | 34 | |
| North Dartmouth | 1.9 miles | 34 | |
| Oxford | 2.0 miles | 34 | |
| Mount Pleasant | 2.1 miles | 34 | |
| North Fairhaven | 2.1 miles | 34 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on New Bedford | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q49147 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 613714. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.