Northeast ranking
22 New Jersey cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 94
Index 128
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland | 94 | $1,177/mo | $63,468 | 61K | Compare → |
| 2 | Sicklerville | 104 | $1,461/mo | $97,576 | 46K | Compare → |
| 3 | Camden | 106 | $1,091/mo | $36,258 | 72K | Compare → |
| 4 | Trenton | 114 | $1,177/mo | $44,444 | 90K | Compare → |
| 5 | Toms River | 123 | $1,592/mo | $92,012 | 93K | Compare → |
| 6 | Lakewood | 123 | $1,619/mo | $54,826 | 69K | Compare → |
| 7 | New Brunswick | 123 | $1,754/mo | $57,138 | 56K | Compare → |
| 8 | East Orange | 124 | $1,331/mo | $58,659 | 69K | Compare → |
| 9 | Passaic | 124 | $1,341/mo | $57,832 | 70K | Compare → |
| 10 | Elizabeth | 125 | $1,390/mo | $59,939 | 136K | Compare → |
| 11 | Paterson | 125 | $1,392/mo | $52,092 | 158K | Compare → |
| 12 | Union City | 125 | $1,415/mo | $59,967 | 67K | Compare → |
| 13 | Newark | 125 | $1,273/mo | $46,460 | 307K | Compare → |
| 14 | Bayonne | 125 | $1,474/mo | $80,044 | 70K | Compare → |
| 15 | Sayreville | 125 | $1,510/mo | $95,250 | 45K | Compare → |
| 16 | Plainfield | 125 | $1,559/mo | $70,712 | 54K | Compare → |
| 17 | Perth Amboy | 125 | $1,562/mo | $56,239 | 55K | Compare → |
| 18 | West New York | 125 | $1,571/mo | $70,141 | 52K | Compare → |
| 19 | Clifton | 125 | $1,633/mo | $94,179 | 89K | Compare → |
| 20 | Hackensack | 126 | $1,750/mo | $79,133 | 46K | Compare → |
| 21 | Jersey City | 126 | $1,799/mo | $91,151 | 288K | Compare → |
| 22 | Hoboken | 128 | $2,648/mo | $168,137 | 59K | Compare → |
New Jersey has a handful of real selling points, and they're concrete rather than vague. Incomes run above the US median and more than a couple of options are the headliners, plus 1 more.
Across our New Jersey city data, typical household income lands near $72,075. That's above the national median, which puts more cushion under whatever the local cost of living happens to be.
New Jersey has 22 cities in our ranking, covering a real spread of size, density, and cost. People talk about a state like it's monolithic; in practice, the place you actually live varies a lot, and New Jersey gives you a real menu to pick from.
Living in New Jersey puts Atlantic coastline within driving range of most of the state. The practical upshot: weekend beach trips, easier access to seafood that hasn't been on a truck for a week, and a milder climate near the coast than the same latitude would have inland.
Reasons reflect aggregated city data for New Jersey (Census ACS, BLS, BEA) plus well-known state-level geography. We only list points that are actually supported — different states show different sections.
Across New Jersey, Vineland is the most affordable city we track (cost index 94, with median rent around $1,177/mo), while Hoboken sits at the top of the range with an index of 128—roughly 37% pricier than Vineland. Use the table above to compare any New Jersey city directly against Vineland.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.