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Living in
New Brunswick.
About
Life in New Brunswick
If you're considering New Brunswick, understand that you're looking at a dense urban college town with serious job anchors in healthcare and pharma, not a bedroom community. Rutgers brings a younger demographic and cultural energy—theater, music venues, restaurants—but that also means student housing turnover and a youthful median age of 25. The median household income sits around $65,810, which is solid for the region, and median rent runs about $1,814 monthly; home values average $353,800 if you're buying.
New Brunswick at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
32.0%
Foreign-Born
39.9%
Broadband Internet
88.1%
of households
Population Growth
+3.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics39.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in New Brunswick: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In New Brunswick, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (30.2%), and 48.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.5%
of residents
65 and Older
6.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.0%
of households
Married Couples
25.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.13
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 about average for NJ
Rent, home values, and income in New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, home values are 22% below the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
35.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,316
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
21.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $439,421 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above NJ average
Unemployment in New Brunswick
Unemployment in New Brunswick is 0.4 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 New Brunswick Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.3 min avg
How New Brunswick residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In New Brunswick, most residents drive alone to work (41%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 20 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.
Safetyviolent crime 53% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in New Brunswick runs 53% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
503.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,819.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
New Brunswick Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Middlesex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Middlesex County, which includes New Brunswick, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Excessive Heat | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 24 | Excessive Heat | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 20 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2022 | 17 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50.0M |
| 2020 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 27 | Coastal Flood | None reported |
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
Middlesex County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, which includes New Brunswick, is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
66
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
New Brunswick has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.5"
Annual Snowfall
29.0"
Hot Days/Year
24
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
111
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 23°F | 3.74" |
| Feb | 43°F | 24°F | 2.97" |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 4.40" |
| Apr | 63°F | 41°F | 3.89" |
| May | 72°F | 51°F | 4.03" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.83" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 4.83" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.66" |
| Sep | 78°F | 57°F | 4.18" |
| Oct | 67°F | 44°F | 4.11" |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.40" |
| Dec | 45°F | 28°F | 4.49" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in New Brunswick
New Brunswick has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
22.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Saint Peter's University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Children's Specialized Hospital
Childrens
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
University Behavioral Health Care
Psychiatric · ER available · 3 mi away · Piscataway
Jfk University Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Edison
Raritan Bay Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Perth Amboy
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.
Education11.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in New Brunswick
New Brunswick's student/teacher ratio is 11.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in New Brunswick
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Public · 4-year · 37,751 students · in-state tuition $18,824 · 85% graduate · median earnings $80,490 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,709 students · in-state tuition $65,510 · 98% graduate · median earnings $133,523 (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: Morristown National Historical Park, 20 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for New Brunswick
New Brunswick has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Morristown National Historical Park (20 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
20 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
23 mi awayNational Parks of New York Harbor
National Park Site
24 mi awayStatue Of Liberty National Monument
National Monument
25 mi awayEllis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
26 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
27 mi awayFederal Hall National Memorial
National Memorial
27 mi awayGovernors Island National Monument
National Monument
27 mi awayPublic Libraries in New Brunswick
New Brunswick Free Pub. Lib.
60 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick
Cities Near New Brunswick
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to New Brunswick?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
New Brunswick FAQ
Is New Brunswick, New Jersey affordable?⌄
New Brunswick's median rent is $1,814/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $65,810/year. Median home value is $353,800.
Is New Brunswick, New Jersey safe?⌄
New Brunswick's violent crime rate was 504 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1820 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in New Brunswick, New Jersey?⌄
New Brunswick has an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in New Brunswick, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in New Brunswick is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,814/month and median household income is $65,810/year. The median home value is $353,800. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in New Brunswick, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in New Brunswick is 23 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