Jersey City vs Kearny
Jersey City, New Jersey versus Kearny, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Jersey City and Kearny score about the same overall (43 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jersey City | Kearny |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $91k | $81k |
| Cost of Living | $68k | $68k |
| Home Value | $500k | $404k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.61% | 2.48% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.72% | 25.18% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4 in | 50.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2 in | 28.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 170 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.7 | 77.0 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 776/100k | 159/100k |
| Property Crime | 1601/100k | 2228/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 287,899 | 41,157 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 39.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.77 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+47 |
| White (%) | 23.0% | 32.5% |
| Black (%) | 19.9% | 3.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.2% | 54.7% |
| Asian (%) | 25.4% | 3.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 5.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 37 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 15.6/20 | 13.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 179.54 | 283.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Jersey City or Kearny more affordable?
- Kearny has the lower cost of living: its index is $68k, compared with Jersey City's $68k and Kearny's $68k. Median rent is $2k in Jersey City versus $2k in Kearny.
- Is Jersey City or Kearny safer?
- Kearny has the lower violent crime rate. Jersey City reports 776/100k and Kearny reports 159/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jersey City or Kearny?
- The median home value is $500k in Jersey City and $404k in Kearny, so homes are more affordable in Kearny.