What it's like to live in Garfield
Garfield is a small city in New Jersey with 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. Garfield deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Garfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Garfield
Based on Garfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,376
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,520 a year
- 51% of Garfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$95,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,550
- Homes cost 6.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 19% above US
$1,688/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,688 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 $475,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $475,500 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 42% above US
6.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.1%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 45% below US
181 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 1663/100k · Garfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28 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; 6% take public transit; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°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▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Garfield's strongest point is crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,688/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 anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Garfield
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