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Is Surf City, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Surf City is a small town of 1,325 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $110,750 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Surf City stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Surf City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Surf City 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: 112.5Surf City's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Surf City costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Surf City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $884,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,075 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 91.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $110,750 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSurf City's violent crime rate is 75.0 per 100,000 residents — 80% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Surf City is served primarily by Long Beach Island School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 6.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Surf City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Long Beach Island School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 6.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Surf City sees average highs of 40.7°F in January and 83.5°F in July, with 41.0 inches of annual precipitation and 10.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Surf City, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.7°F |
| Average High — July | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Surf City, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,325 | — |
| Median Age | 62.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 99.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 6.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 45.1% | 16.8% |