Carteret, NJ
Census place 3410750 · pop 25,496
Birthplace of the rock band The Smithereens, who formed and met at Carteret High School.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.91% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,465/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
54.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$405,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
314 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
30.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1262 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
33.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
8.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$96,862 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Carteret, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Carteret scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is commute time. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Carteret, NJ?
- Carteret reports 314 violent crimes per 100k and 1262 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Carteret, NJ expensive to live in?
- Carteret has a median home value of $405,800 and typical rent around $2,465/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Carteret, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is commute time (31 min) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Carteret, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (36 AQI) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Birthplace of the rock band The Smithereens, who formed and met at Carteret High School.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.