Is Laurel Heights, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Laurel Heights is a small town of 482 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $76,696 and a 12.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.
Strengths: Laurel Heights stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Laurel Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Laurel Heights 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: 93.7Laurel Heights's overall cost of living index is 93.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Laurel Heights costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Laurel Heights, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $177,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $76,696 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageLaurel Heights's violent crime rate is 424.7 per 100,000 residents — 12% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Laurel Heights, 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 | 15.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 99.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Laurel Heights sees average highs of 41.1°F in January and 86.2°F in July, with 46.8 inches of annual precipitation and 11.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Laurel Heights, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.1°F |
| Average High — July | 86.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Laurel Heights, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 482 | — |
| Median Age | 58.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 12.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 10.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 31.3% | 16.8% |