Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jersey City, NJ
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 Metairie leads 14 of 23 categories
Jersey City
New Jersey
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,151 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
148⚠ High
Population
287,899 ✓ Larger
Metairie
Louisiana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,070
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,046
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jersey City, NJ
Pros
Households earn $19,081 more per year on average
More college-educated — 51.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $500,100
Higher rents — median is $1,799/mo
Violent crime (561.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Metairie
Metairie, LA
Pros
Homes cost $210k less ($289,800 vs $500,100)
Rent averages $679/mo less ($1,120 vs $1,799)
31% less violent crime than Jersey City
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Jersey City
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.3%)
Cons
Median income trails Jersey City by $19,081/yr
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Jersey City
Median Income
$19,081
$91,151 vs $72,070/yr
Metairie
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Metairie
Violent Crime
31% lower
390.1 vs 561.6 per 100k
Metairie
Median Home Value
$210k less
$289,800 vs $500,100
Metairie
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Metairie
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.4°F vs 86.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jersey City, NJ | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $500,100⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,799⚠ High | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $91,151 ✓ Higher | $72,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 37.0 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.7% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 148⚠ High | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.9% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 92.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jersey City Public Schools | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.4°F | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.8°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 287,899 ✓ Larger | 140,046 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 29.2% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jersey City's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
Metairie is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Metairie leads 14 of 23 categories. Jersey City wins 9 and Metairie wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Jersey City to Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($500,100 vs $289,800 median home), income ($91,151 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jersey City, NJ and Metairie, LA are about 1,168 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.