South Plainfield vs The Ponds
South Plainfield, New Jersey versus The Ponds, New Jersey: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
South Plainfield and The Ponds score about the same overall (44 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | South Plainfield | The Ponds |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $123k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $60k |
| Home Value | $417k | $312k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $7k | $482 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.98% | 1.68% |
| Income Tax | 10.70% | 10.70% |
| Sales Tax | 6.60% | 6.60% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.58% | 20.47% |
| Unemployment | 7.2% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.7 in | 49.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.4 in | 23.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 170 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.9 | 77.6 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 95.3 |
| Violent Crime | 487/100k | 693/100k |
| Property Crime | 1516/100k | 1246/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 24,273 | 917 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 72.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.64 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.34 |
| Political Leaning | D+22 | D+22 |
| White (%) | 49.0% | 98.1% |
| Black (%) | 11.4% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.4% | 1.9% |
| Asian (%) | 17.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | — |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 30 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 89.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 154.90 | 501.64 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 South Plainfield or The Ponds more affordable?
- The Ponds has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with South Plainfield's $60k and The Ponds's $60k. Median rent is $2k in South Plainfield versus $2k in The Ponds.
- Is South Plainfield or The Ponds safer?
- South Plainfield has the lower violent crime rate. South Plainfield reports 487/100k and The Ponds reports 693/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in South Plainfield or The Ponds?
- The median home value is $417k in South Plainfield and $312k in The Ponds, so homes are more affordable in The Ponds.