What it's like to live in Bellmawr
Bellmawr is a small city in New Jersey with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, 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. Bellmawr deals with county unemployment above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Air quality concerns
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bellmawr compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bellmawr
Based on Bellmawr's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,514
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,280 a year
- 34% of Bellmawr renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,940
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 11% below US
$1,257/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,257 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $239,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $239,400 · 34% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Camden County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Camden County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 80% below US
67 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1500/100k · Bellmawr Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 28°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, 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 Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bellmawr's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,257/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bellmawr
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Gloucester City →
2 mi away · pop. 11,509
Rent $1,484/mo · Income $64,938
Compare with Bellmawr →Moving to Collingswood →
4 mi away · pop. 14,205
Rent $1,488/mo · Income $90,184
Compare with Bellmawr →Not sure Bellmawr is the one?
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