Is Oak Ridge, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Oak Ridge is a small city of 10,997 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $119,004 and a 5.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Oak Ridge stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Oak Ridge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Oak Ridge 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: 112.5Oak Ridge's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Oak Ridge costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Oak Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $385,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,377 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 90.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $119,004 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeOak Ridge's violent crime rate is 27.0 per 100,000 residents — 93% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Oak Ridge is served primarily by Jefferson Township Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Oak Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Jefferson Township Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Oak Ridge sees average highs of 35.8°F in January and 82.9°F in July, with 49.2 inches of annual precipitation and 28.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Oak Ridge, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 35.8°F |
| Average High — July | 82.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Oak Ridge, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,997 | — |
| Median Age | 45.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 39.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: