Metuchen, NJ

Census place 3445690 · pop 15,144

D55/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in NJ
📍 New Jersey ranks #43 of 50 states →
🏆 Mental12.5% · top 4%
🚽 Commute38 min · bottom 2%
Taxes
1.65% 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

Commute time38 min2

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

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

Rent$2,942/mo9

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

$2,942/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$604,30014

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

$604,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property-tax burden1.65%20

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

1.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.3%26

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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level96/10028

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.

Property crime rate1771/100k35

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

1771 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level5 days36

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.

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).

Violent crime rate159/100k58

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

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

Population growth (5yr)+7.8%74

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

+7.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Homeownership74.6%77

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

74.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult obesity27.8%84

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

27.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity18.3%86

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

18.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

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.

Uninsured adults5.8%87

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

5.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poverty rate3.6%93

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

3.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking7.6%94

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

7.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher67.1%94

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

67.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$158,05295

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

$158,052 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Broadband access97.6%95

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

97.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poor mental health12.5%96

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

12.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Frequently asked

Is Metuchen, NJ a good place to live?
By the numbers, Metuchen scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poor mental health 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 Metuchen, NJ?
Metuchen reports 159 violent crimes per 100k and 1771 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Metuchen, NJ expensive to live in?
Metuchen has a median home value of $604,300 and typical rent around $2,942/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Metuchen, NJ?
Its weakest measured area is commute time (38 min) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Metuchen, NJ best at?
Its strongest measured area is poor mental health (12.5%) — 96/100, 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.