Kearny, NJ
Census place 3436510 · pop 40,614
A Scottish-immigrant mill town nicknamed 'Soccertown, USA' for producing a remarkable number of U.S. national-team players.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
42.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
33 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.18% 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
18.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$459,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,246/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
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 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 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
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 24.3% · better than most cities
30.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
92.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$79,154 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
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 17.4% · better than most cities
16.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
81 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
29.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
575 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
Frequently asked
- Is Kearny, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Kearny scores 43/100 — 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 property crime rate 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 Kearny, NJ?
- Kearny reports 81 violent crimes per 100k and 575 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Kearny, NJ expensive to live in?
- Kearny has a median home value of $459,400 and typical rent around $2,246/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Kearny, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (42.9%) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Kearny, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is property crime rate (575/100k) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A Scottish-immigrant mill town nicknamed 'Soccertown, USA' for producing a remarkable number of U.S. national-team players.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.