What it's like to live in Carteret
Carteret is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, 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. Carteret deals with rent well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average unemployment
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
How Carteret compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Carteret
Based on Carteret's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,064
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $81,280 a year
- 44% of Carteret renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$81,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,580
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 44% above US
$2,032/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,032 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $405,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $405,800 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 49% above US
6.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.4%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 38% below US
203 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 803/100k · Carteret Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 21% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.4 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°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▼ 16% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 30% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. 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 National Parks of New York Harbor (11 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Carteret's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and unemployment above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,032/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone moving without a job lined up.
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