Jersey City, NJ
Census place 3436000 · pop 294,078
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
27.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
37 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,177/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
563 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$566,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.52% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2036 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
95/100 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 9.3% · worse than most cities
12.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% 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 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
3 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 90.0% · better than most cities
92.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$97,710 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
14.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+12.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
54.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Jersey City, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Jersey City scores 38/100 — 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 adult obesity 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 Jersey City, NJ?
- Jersey City reports 563 violent crimes per 100k and 2036 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Jersey City, NJ expensive to live in?
- Jersey City has a median home value of $566,900 and typical rent around $3,177/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Jersey City, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (27.9%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Jersey City, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (26.2%) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.