Is Atlantic City, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Atlantic City is a small city of 38,487 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $35,188 and a 13.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Atlantic City stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Atlantic City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Atlantic City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.2Atlantic City's overall cost of living index is 97.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Atlantic City costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Atlantic City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $174,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,057 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 30.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $35,188 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeAtlantic City's violent crime rate is 1780.1 per 100,000 residents — 368% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Atlantic City is served primarily by Atlantic City School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Atlantic City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Atlantic City School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 74.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Atlantic City sees average highs of 41.6°F in January and 80.3°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation and 17.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Atlantic City, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.6°F |
| Average High — July | 80.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Atlantic City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 | — |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 13.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 22.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 30.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 16.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Atlantic City
Atlantic City, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: