Median Income
$86,801
household / year
Median Home Value
$357,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,597
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Linden, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Linden is a small city of 43,478 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $86,801 and a 7.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Linden stands out for solid school ratings (B).

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

All Linden 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

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

Metric Linden, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $357,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,597 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 60.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $86,801 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Linden's violent crime rate is 323.0 per 100,000 residents — 15% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
323.0 /100k
Property Crime
2994.1 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Linden is served primarily by Linden Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Linden, NJ National Avg
School District Linden Public School District —
Elementary Schools 8 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Linden 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.

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

Demographics

MetricLinden, NJNational Avg
Population43,478—
Median Age40.038.9
Unemployment Rate7.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time31.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)41.8%59.3%
Black or African American28.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino24.5%18.9%
Asian3.3%6.3%
Under 1821.4%22.2%
65 and over13.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Roselle, NJ 2 mi Rahway, NJ 3 mi Carteret, NJ 3 mi Roselle Park, NJ 3 mi Kean University, NJ 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Linden

Linden, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code:

07036

Linden vs Other Cities

Linden, NJ vs Roselle, NJ Linden, NJ vs Rahway, NJ Linden, NJ vs Carteret, NJ Linden, NJ vs Roselle Park, NJ Linden, NJ vs Kean University, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Linden's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Linden roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $357,000 and median rent is $1,597/month.
Linden's violent crime rate is 323.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2994.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Linden are operated by Linden Public School District. The district has 8 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1. 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Linden, NJ has a population of 43,478, a median household income of $86,801, and an unemployment rate of 7.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Linden 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).
Linden, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: 07036.
The population of Linden, New Jersey is 43,478 with a median age of 40.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Linden: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $357,000, median household income $86,801, crime index 108 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Linden side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.