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Island Heights vs Toms River

Island Heights, New Jersey versus Toms River, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Island Heights

Solid · objective livability52/100

Toms River

Mixed · objective livability43/100

Island Heights edges out Toms River on overall objective livability (52 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorIsland HeightsToms River
Affordability
Median Household Income$105k$92k
Cost of Living$59k$59k
Home Value$461k$356k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$657$28k
Property Tax Rate1.62%1.79%
Income Tax10.70%10.70%
Sales Tax6.60%6.60%
Estimated total tax burden19.96%19.81%
Unemployment3.2%5.7%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)34°F33°F
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F77°F
Annual Precipitation52.0 in52.0 in
Annual Snowfall10.2 in23.7 in
Sunny Days211 days211 days
Summer Humidity66°F66°F
Comfortable Days89 days83 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk28.449.7
Air Quality47 AQI47 AQI
School Quality89.5100.0
Violent Crime294/100k551/100k
Property Crime176/100k777/100k
Community
Population1,52192,827
Median Age54.242.3
Racial Diversity0.160.30
Male/Female Ratio0.940.94
Political LeaningR+29R+29
White (%)88.0%78.7%
Black (%)2.2%3.9%
Hispanic (%)5.3%10.9%
Asian (%)0.1%3.4%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%3.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time31 min31 min
Walkability9.4/208.9/20
Airport Distance52 mi48 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.7%89.6%
Amenities Nearby1426.6921.76
Park & Nature AccessGoodGood

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 Island Heights or Toms River more affordable?
Toms River has the lower cost of living: its index is $59k, compared with Island Heights's $59k and Toms River's $59k. Median rent is $2k in Island Heights versus $2k in Toms River.
Is Island Heights or Toms River safer?
Island Heights has the lower violent crime rate. Island Heights reports 294/100k and Toms River reports 551/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Island Heights or Toms River?
The median home value is $461k in Island Heights and $356k in Toms River, so homes are more affordable in Toms River.
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