Median Income
$29,821
household / year
Median Home Value
$143,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,041
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Penns Grove, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Penns Grove is a small town of 4,841 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $29,821 and a 15.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Penns Grove stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Penns Grove is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Penns Grove 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: 103.5

Penns Grove's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Penns Grove costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Penns Grove, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $143,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,041 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 30.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $29,821 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Penns Grove's violent crime rate is 574.7 per 100,000 residents — 51% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
574.7 /100k
Property Crime
1539.4 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Penns Grove is served primarily by Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Penns Grove, NJ National Avg
School District Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 81.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Penns Grove sees average highs of 37.9°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 50.3 inches of annual precipitation and 12.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricPenns Grove, NJ
Average High — January37.9°F
Average High — July84.0°F
Annual Precipitation50.3"
Annual Snowfall12.0"

Demographics

MetricPenns Grove, NJNational Avg
Population4,841—
Median Age25.038.9
Unemployment Rate15.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)39.7%59.3%
Black or African American41.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.9%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1840.0%22.2%
65 and over8.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Carneys Point, NJ 2 mi Edgemoor, DE 3 mi Bellefonte, DE 3 mi Wilmington, DE 3 mi Pedricktown, NJ 4 mi

Penns Grove vs Other Cities

Penns Grove, NJ vs Carneys Point, NJ Penns Grove, NJ vs Edgemoor, DE Penns Grove, NJ vs Bellefonte, DE Penns Grove, NJ vs Wilmington, DE Penns Grove, NJ vs Pedricktown, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Penns Grove's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Penns Grove roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $143,400 and median rent is $1,041/month.
Penns Grove's violent crime rate is 574.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1539.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Penns Grove are operated by Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1. 13.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Penns Grove, NJ has a population of 4,841, a median household income of $29,821, and an unemployment rate of 15.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Penns Grove averages 37.9°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.3 inches with about 12.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Penns Grove, New Jersey is 4,841 with a median age of 25.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Penns Grove: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $143,400, median household income $29,821, crime index 120 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Penns Grove side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.