New Bedford, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 43, New Bedford's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

New Bedford is a small community located in Illinois, within Bureau County. The total population is 43. It ranks as the 1406th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in New Bedford is 71.5 years. This is 83% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 37.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in New Bedford is $42,500. This is 49% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.3%. This is 21% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 10.0%. This is 71% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $78,800. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, New Bedford is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 96.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

New Bedford has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

2.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 94% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 57.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for New Bedford, Illinois is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Illinois state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.