Best Life Index › States › New Jersey › Cities › Newark

New Jersey city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Newark?

What it costs to live in Newark, and how it compares with other New Jersey cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

8

77th best value in New Jersey

How much you get for what you pay, versus other New Jersey cities.

Overall livability

17

76th overall in New Jersey

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Newark is home to about 306,247 people. A typical home runs $271,700 and a household earns around $41,300, a price-to-income ratio of 6.6. Among New Jersey's largest cities, it ranks 77th for value and 76th overall.

Newark at a glance

Median home price

$271,700

73rd in NJ of 78

Median rent

$1,167/mo

Median household income

$41,300

Home price to income

6.6x

Unemployment

11.2%

72nd in NJ of 78

School rating

2/10

74th in NJ of 78

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in NJ of 78

Walk score

37/100

See your real take-home pay in New Jersey

Enter your salary and see your paycheck after New Jersey taxes.

Calculate my take-home pay ›

‹ See all top New Jersey cities ranked  ยท  New Jersey state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within New Jersey only. Updated 2026.