Is Brainards, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Brainards is a small town of 166 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $165,278 and a 7.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Brainards's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Brainards is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brainards 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: 98.4Brainards's overall cost of living index is 98.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brainards costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Brainards, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | N/A | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $165,278 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBrainards's violent crime rate is 29.4 per 100,000 residents — 92% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Brainards, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Brainards sees average highs of 37.7°F in January and 85.6°F in July, with 51.9 inches of annual precipitation and 23.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Brainards, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 37.7°F |
| Average High — July | 85.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Brainards, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 166 | — |
| Median Age | 50.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 36.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 100.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 8.4% | 16.8% |