Elizabeth, NJ

Census place 3421000 · pop 137,302

F29/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in NJ
📍 New Jersey ranks #43 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Own25.6% · bottom 1%
Taxes
2.23% property · US 0.99%6.60% sales · US 7.00%up to 10.75% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership25.6%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

25.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults28.1%2

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

28.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Property-tax burden2.23%7

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

2.23% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Bachelor's degree or higher14.6%8

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

14.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity35.2%9

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

35.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property crime rate2735/100k15

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2735 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.7%16

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$449,30024

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$449,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$2,233/mo25

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,233/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Violent crime rate382/100k26

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

382 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Broadband access89.0%31

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poverty rate15.7%32

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

15.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Commute time27 min32

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Adult smoking15.0%33

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

15.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$66,55538

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$66,555 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poor mental health17.8%40

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level92/10041

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

92/100 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.

Income inequality0.4447

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Adult obesity34.8%51

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+7.0%72

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+7.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 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.

Frequently asked

Is Elizabeth, NJ a good place to live?
By the numbers, Elizabeth scores 29/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is homeownership. 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 Elizabeth, NJ?
Elizabeth reports 382 violent crimes per 100k and 2735 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Elizabeth, NJ expensive to live in?
Elizabeth has a median home value of $449,300 and typical rent around $2,233/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Elizabeth, NJ?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (25.6%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Elizabeth, NJ best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.