What it's like to live in Kearny
Kearny is a small city in New Jersey with crime rates well below the national average, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kearny deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
- Above-average rainfall
How Kearny compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kearny
Based on Kearny's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,440
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,800 a year
- 49% of Kearny renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$91,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $45,940
- Homes cost 5.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 22% above US
$1,720/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,720 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $459,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $459,400 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 21% above US
5.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 33% below US
222 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 2608/100k · Kearny Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 27% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33 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. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% take public transit; 6% work from home.
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▼ 15% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. 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 Castle Clinton National Monument (6 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kearny's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and public transit that many commuters actually use; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,720/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
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