Median Income
$72,026
household / year
Median Home Value
$430,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,491
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Garfield, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Garfield is a small city of 32,472 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $72,026 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

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

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Garfield is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Garfield 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

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

Metric Garfield, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $430,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,491 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 46.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $72,026 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Garfield's violent crime rate is 199.2 per 100,000 residents — 48% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
199.2 /100k
Property Crime
1750.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Garfield is served primarily by Garfield Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Garfield, NJ National Avg
School District Garfield Public School District —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Garfield sees average highs of 39.9°F in January and 87.0°F in July, with 46.3 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricGarfield, NJ
Average High — January39.9°F
Average High — July87.0°F
Annual Precipitation46.3"
Annual Snowfall28.2"

Demographics

MetricGarfield, NJNational Avg
Population32,472—
Median Age38.438.9
Unemployment Rate4.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)69.2%59.3%
Black or African American5.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino21.1%18.9%
Asian2.9%6.3%
Under 1819.6%22.2%
65 and over14.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lodi, NJ 1 mi Elmwood Park, NJ 2 mi Wallington, NJ 2 mi Passaic, NJ 2 mi Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 2 mi

ZIP Codes in Garfield

Garfield, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code:

07026

Garfield vs Other Cities

Garfield, NJ vs Lodi, NJ Garfield, NJ vs Elmwood Park, NJ Garfield, NJ vs Wallington, NJ Garfield, NJ vs Passaic, NJ Garfield, NJ vs Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Garfield's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Garfield roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $430,500 and median rent is $1,491/month.
Garfield's violent crime rate is 199.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1750.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Garfield are operated by Garfield Public School District. The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1. 22.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Garfield, NJ has a population of 32,472, a median household income of $72,026, and an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Garfield averages 39.9°F in January and 87.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.3 inches with about 28.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Garfield, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: 07026.
The population of Garfield, New Jersey is 32,472 with a median age of 38.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Garfield: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $430,500, median household income $72,026, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Garfield side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.