Median Income
$79,049
household / year
Median Home Value
$337,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,833
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Carteret, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Carteret is a small city of 25,161 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $79,049 and a 7.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Carteret stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Carteret is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Carteret 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: 112.5

Carteret's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Carteret costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Carteret, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $337,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,833 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 54.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $79,049 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Carteret's violent crime rate is 313.6 per 100,000 residents — 17% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
313.6 /100k
Property Crime
1262.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Carteret is served primarily by Carteret Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Carteret, NJ National Avg
School District Carteret Public School District —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 83.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Carteret sees average highs of 40.0°F in January and 86.9°F in July, with 49.5 inches of annual precipitation and 31.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricCarteret, NJ
Average High — January40.0°F
Average High — July86.9°F
Annual Precipitation49.5"
Annual Snowfall31.5"

Demographics

MetricCarteret, NJNational Avg
Population25,161—
Median Age37.638.9
Unemployment Rate7.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time32.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)31.8%59.3%
Black or African American16.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino24.4%18.9%
Asian25.0%6.3%
Under 1823.9%22.2%
65 and over14.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Port Reading, NJ 1 mi Avenel, NJ 2 mi Sewaren, NJ 3 mi Linden, NJ 3 mi Rahway, NJ 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Carteret

Carteret, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code:

07008

Carteret vs Other Cities

Carteret, NJ vs Port Reading, NJ Carteret, NJ vs Avenel, NJ Carteret, NJ vs Sewaren, NJ Carteret, NJ vs Linden, NJ Carteret, NJ vs Rahway, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Carteret's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Carteret roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $337,500 and median rent is $1,833/month.
Carteret's violent crime rate is 313.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1262.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Carteret are operated by Carteret Public School District. The district has 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1. 27.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Carteret, NJ has a population of 25,161, a median household income of $79,049, and an unemployment rate of 7.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Carteret averages 40.0°F in January and 86.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 49.5 inches with about 31.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Carteret, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: 07008.
The population of Carteret, New Jersey is 25,161 with a median age of 37.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Carteret: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $337,500, median household income $79,049, crime index 74 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Carteret side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.