Is Perth Amboy, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Perth Amboy is a mid-sized city of 55,226 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $56,239 and a 11.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Perth Amboy stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Perth Amboy is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Perth Amboy 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: 112.5Perth Amboy's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Perth Amboy costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Perth Amboy, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $327,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,562 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,239 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AveragePerth Amboy's violent crime rate is 391.8 per 100,000 residents — 3% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Perth Amboy is served primarily by Perth Amboy Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Perth Amboy, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Perth Amboy Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 70.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Perth Amboy sees average highs of 40.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 49.5 inches of annual precipitation and 29.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Perth Amboy, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.3°F |
| Average High — July | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Perth Amboy, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,226 | — |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: