Should I Move To
Jersey City, New Jersey is home to about 287,899 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 26% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,799 a month against a typical household income of $91,151. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 57 out of 100 (grade C), putting it at #239 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Jersey City's composite cost-of-living index lands at 126 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $1,799/mo against $91,151 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 24% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $500,100.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 84°F, winter averages around 28°F. Precipitation totals about 47 inches a year. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential. On safety, this is a middle-of-the-pack city — neither standout nor concerning. AQI runs about 42 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Jersey City reads as a moderate fit for families. The profile-weighted score is 56/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is walkability (82/100); the soft spot is affordability (16/100).
Jersey City doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 55/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is walkability (82/100); the soft spot is affordability (16/100).
Jersey City doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 49/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is walkability (82/100); the soft spot is affordability (16/100).
Jersey City reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 58/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is walkability (82/100); the soft spot is affordability (16/100).
Our overall score for Jersey City is 57/100 — a C, sitting at #239 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Jersey City sits at 126 — expensive, 26% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,799 a month.
Jersey City runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 84°F, winter's near 28°F; 47 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 82/100. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential.
Roughly 287,899 people live here, with 52% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 35.
Drop Jersey City into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Jersey City with other New Jersey cities scored on UrbRank.
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