Essex County vs Hudson County
Essex County, New Jersey versus Hudson 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.
Essex County and Hudson County score about the same overall (37 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Essex County | Hudson County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $87k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $68k |
| Home Value | $467k | $487k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.14% | 1.91% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 26.43% | 23.60% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7 in | 48.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.5 in | 29.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 193 days | 188 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.7 | 97.2 |
| Air Quality | — | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1023/100k | 776/100k |
| Property Crime | 1635/100k | 1601/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 853,374 | 712,029 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 35.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+56 | D+47 |
| White (%) | 28.5% | 27.7% |
| Black (%) | 36.7% | 10.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 24.0% | 42.5% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 15.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 36 min |
| Walkability | 13.3/20 | 14.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.9% | 90.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 7.30 | 63.64 |
| 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 Essex County or Hudson County more affordable?
- Essex County has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Essex County's $58k and Hudson County's $68k. Median rent is $1k in Essex County versus $2k in Hudson County.
- Is Essex County or Hudson County safer?
- Hudson County has the lower violent crime rate. Essex County reports 1023/100k and Hudson County reports 776/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Essex County or Hudson County?
- The median home value is $467k in Essex County and $487k in Hudson County, so homes are more affordable in Essex County.