Bergen County vs Essex County
Bergen County, New Jersey versus Essex County, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Bergen County edges out Essex County on overall objective livability (42 vs 37 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bergen County | Essex County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $119k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $58k |
| Home Value | $562k | $467k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.78% | 2.14% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.31% | 26.43% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 8.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 49.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.9 in | 27.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 193 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 388/100k | 1023/100k |
| Property Crime | 1026/100k | 1635/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 953,243 | 853,374 |
| Median Age | 42.0 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.71 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+17 | D+56 |
| White (%) | 53.4% | 28.5% |
| Black (%) | 5.3% | 36.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 21.6% | 24.0% |
| Asian (%) | 16.5% | 5.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 13.4/20 | 13.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.1% | 85.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 4.99 | 7.30 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bergen County or Essex County more affordable?
- Essex County has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Bergen County's $64k and Essex County's $58k. Median rent is $2k in Bergen County versus $1k in Essex County.
- Is Bergen County or Essex County safer?
- Bergen County has the lower violent crime rate. Bergen County reports 388/100k and Essex County reports 1023/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bergen County or Essex County?
- The median home value is $562k in Bergen County and $467k in Essex County, so homes are more affordable in Essex County.