Is Long Branch, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Long Branch is a small city of 31,932 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $72,234 and a 7.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Long Branch stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Long Branch is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Long Branch 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: 112.5Long Branch's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Long Branch costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Long Branch, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $446,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,646 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $72,234 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageLong Branch's violent crime rate is 241.6 per 100,000 residents — 36% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Long Branch is served primarily by LONG BRANCH PUBLIC SCHOOL District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Long Branch, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | LONG BRANCH PUBLIC SCHOOL District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 84.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Long Branch sees average highs of 41.8°F in January and 83.5°F in July, with 50.7 inches of annual precipitation and 24.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Long Branch, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Long Branch, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,932 | — |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 64.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 13.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Long Branch
Long Branch, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: