City comparison
Jersey City, NJ is about 10 miles (10 km) from Newark, NJ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 7 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Jersey City, NJ to Newark, NJ takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Newark has a population of 307,355, vs 287,899 in Jersey City — about the same size. By land area, Newark covers about 24 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Jersey City.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Jersey City | Newark | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,799/mo | $1,273/mo | 41.3% higher in Jersey City |
| Median home value | $500,100 | $312,300 | 60.1% higher in Jersey City |
| Median household income | $91,151 | $46,460 | 96.2% higher in Jersey City |
| Groceries index | 109.6 | 109.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 128.8 | 128.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 105.4 | 105.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 105.3 | 105.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Jersey City, you'd need $98,748 in Newark to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Newark, NJ is about 1.3% cheaper overall than Jersey City, NJ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Jersey City than in Newark. If you earn $80,000 in Jersey City, you'd need about $78,999 in Newark to keep the same standard of living.