What it's like to live in Bridgeton
Bridgeton is a small city in New Jersey with home prices that remain within reach 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. Bridgeton deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
How Bridgeton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bridgeton
Based on Bridgeton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,680
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,600 a year
- 51% of Bridgeton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$29,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,550
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,340/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,340 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $145,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $145,500 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 86% above US
8.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 8.0%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 122% above US
732 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 2749/100k · Bridgeton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°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▼ 79% below US
7% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Great Egg Harbor River (32 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bridgeton's strongest point is home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,340/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bridgeton
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Millville →
10 mi away · pop. 27,511
Rent $1,261/mo · Income $70,275
Compare with Bridgeton →Moving to Glassboro →
20 mi away · pop. 23,717
Rent $1,687/mo · Income $87,278
Compare with Bridgeton →Moving to Williamstown →
22 mi away · pop. 14,705
Rent $1,266/mo · Income $89,414
Compare with Bridgeton →Not sure Bridgeton is the one?
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