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Living in
Elizabeth.
About
Life in Elizabeth
This fourth-largest city in New Jersey is a seriously dense, working-class urban center with real character—and you need to understand the full picture before deciding if it's home. Elizabeth is fundamentally a Latino-majority city (65% of residents), with Dominican, Colombian, and Puerto Rican communities forming the cultural backbone, alongside significant African American, Portuguese, and Polish populations that have deep roots here. The neighborhoods each have distinct personalities: Peterstown offers a quieter, village-like feel with affordable housing and solid local markets; Elmora appeals to middle-class families and has a thriving Modern Orthodox Jewish community; Downtown/Elizabethport is undergoing serious waterfront revitalization with new townhomes and restored marina spaces; and North Elizabeth gives you quick access to Newark and New York City via its own NJ Transit station.
Elizabeth at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Foreign-Born
51.6%
Broadband Internet
89.0%
of households
Population Growth
+3.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics51.6% foreign-born, most often from Colombia
Who lives in Elizabeth: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Elizabeth, the largest foreign-born group is from Colombia (16.0%), and 61.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.6%
of residents
65 and Older
11.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.3%
of households
Married Couples
36.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.95
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% below NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Elizabeth
In Elizabeth, rent runs 11% below the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
25.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $552,348 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above NJ average
Unemployment in Elizabeth
Unemployment in Elizabeth is 1.4 percentage points higher than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Elizabeth Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26.7 min avg
How Elizabeth residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Elizabeth, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Elizabeth is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
344.9
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,410.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Elizabeth Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Union County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Union County, which includes Elizabeth, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Winter Weather | $116,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8,500 |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $43,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Winter Weather | $47,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | Strong Wind | $219,000 |
| 2019 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $351,000 |
| 2018 | 23 | Strong Wind | $153,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Union County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Union County, which includes Elizabeth, is typically good — 222 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
222
per year
Moderate Days
140
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Union County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Elizabeth has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.6"
Annual Snowfall
31.5"
Hot Days/Year
28
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
80
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 26°F | 3.42" |
| Feb | 43°F | 27°F | 2.98" |
| Mar | 51°F | 34°F | 4.13" |
| Apr | 63°F | 44°F | 3.87" |
| May | 73°F | 54°F | 3.97" |
| Jun | 82°F | 64°F | 4.34" |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 4.66" |
| Aug | 85°F | 68°F | 4.15" |
| Sep | 78°F | 61°F | 3.82" |
| Oct | 66°F | 49°F | 3.79" |
| Nov | 55°F | 39°F | 3.33" |
| Dec | 45°F | 31°F | 4.14" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Elizabeth
Elizabeth has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
24.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Trinitas Regional Medical Center · 225 Williamson Street
- Hospital campus: Trinitas Regional Medical Center New Point Campus · 655 E Jersey St, Elizabeth
- Hospital campus: Trinitas Regional Medical Center New Point Campus · 654 E Jersey St, Elizabeth
- Hospital campus: Trinitas Regional Medical Center New Point Campus · 655 Livingston Avenue, Elizabeth
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Newark
Carepoint Health - Bayonne Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.1 mi away · Bayonne
Richmond University Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Staten Island
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Elizabeth
Elizabeth's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 14.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
38
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Elizabeth (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 28,663 students · in-state tuition $65,622 · 89% graduate · median earnings $90,957 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
10.1 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 18,623 students · in-state tuition $5,170 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,784 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,289 students · in-state tuition $7,382 · 59% graduate · median earnings $70,502 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,154 students · in-state tuition $7,462 · 72% graduate · median earnings $83,742 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY New York City College of Technology
10.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 13,580 students · in-state tuition $7,332 · 32% graduate · median earnings $57,019 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
12.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,590 students · in-state tuition $7,470 · 63% graduate · median earnings $65,870 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, 8 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Elizabeth
Elizabeth has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument (8 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
8 mi awayNational Parks of New York Harbor
National Park Site
8 mi awayStatue Of Liberty National Monument
National Monument
8 mi awayGovernors Island National Monument
National Monument
9 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
9 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
10 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
10 mi awayFederal Hall National Memorial
National Memorial
10 mi awayPublic Libraries in Elizabeth
Elizabeth Free Public Library
11 S. Broad Street, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Free Public Library
102-110 Third St, Elizabeth
Elmora Branch
740 W. Grand St., Elizabeth
La Corte Branch Library
408 Palmer St., Elizabeth
Cities Near Elizabeth
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Elizabeth?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Elizabeth FAQ
Is Elizabeth, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Elizabeth's median rent is $1,523/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $66,555/year. Median home value is $449,300.
Is Elizabeth, New Jersey safe?⌄
Elizabeth's violent crime rate was 345 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2410 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Elizabeth, New Jersey?⌄
Elizabeth has an unemployment rate of 6.6%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Elizabeth, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Elizabeth is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,523/month and median household income is $66,555/year. The median home value is $449,300. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Elizabeth, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Elizabeth is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from