What it's like to live in Asbury Park
Asbury Park is a small city in New Jersey with a highly educated workforce and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Asbury Park deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
How Asbury Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Asbury Park
Based on Asbury Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,444
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,880 a year
- 50% of Asbury Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$116,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $58,110
- Homes cost 7.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 22% above US
$1,722/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,722 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $581,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $581,100 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Monmouth County is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Monmouth County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 109% above US
688 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3357/100k · Asbury Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% take public transit; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 19% above US
43% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 43% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Gateway National Recreation Area (24 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Asbury Park's strongest point is a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,722/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit college-educated professionals.
Other places near Asbury Park
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Long Branch →
5 mi away · pop. 32,530
Rent $1,876/mo · Income $79,653
Compare with Asbury Park →Moving to Eatontown →
5 mi away · pop. 13,575
Rent $1,601/mo · Income $90,463
Compare with Asbury Park →Moving to Red Bank →
9 mi away · pop. 12,862
Rent $2,026/mo · Income $97,477
Compare with Asbury Park →Not sure Asbury Park is the one?
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