Carteret vs Elizabeth
Carteret, New Jersey versus Elizabeth, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Carteret and Elizabeth score about the same overall (43 vs 40 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carteret | Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $85k | $85k |
| Home Value | $338k | $358k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.17% | 2.79% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.13% | 29.56% |
| Unemployment | 7.3% | 5.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5 in | 46.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.3 in | 31.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 170 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.3 | 37.0 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 723/100k | 1739/100k |
| Property Crime | 839/100k | 2553/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,161 | 135,665 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 35.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.77 | 0.73 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 21.6% | 13.0% |
| Black (%) | 15.6% | 16.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 35.2% | 65.6% |
| Asian (%) | 25.0% | 2.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 10.7/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 2 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.3% | 83.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 184.81 | 45.26 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Carteret or Elizabeth more affordable?
- Elizabeth has the lower cost of living: its index is $85k, compared with Carteret's $85k and Elizabeth's $85k. Median rent is $2k in Carteret versus $1k in Elizabeth.
- Is Carteret or Elizabeth safer?
- Carteret has the lower violent crime rate. Carteret reports 723/100k and Elizabeth reports 1739/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carteret or Elizabeth?
- The median home value is $338k in Carteret and $358k in Elizabeth, so homes are more affordable in Carteret.