Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jersey City, NJ
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Nampa leads 15 of 23 categories
Jersey City
New Jersey
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,151 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
148⚠ High
Population
287,899 ✓ Larger
Nampa
Idaho
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
102,598
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jersey City, NJ
Pros
Households earn $23,805 more per year on average
More college-educated — 51.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 93°F
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 19% higher than Nampa
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $211k less ($289,400 vs $500,100)
Rent averages $598/mo less ($1,201 vs $1,799)
37% less violent crime than Jersey City
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (3.0%)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Jersey City
Cons
Median income trails Jersey City by $23,805/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Jersey City
Median Income
$23,805
$91,151 vs $67,346/yr
Nampa
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Violent Crime
37% lower
353.1 vs 561.6 per 100k
Nampa
Median Home Value
$211k less
$289,400 vs $500,100
Nampa
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
3.0% vs 5.8% unemployment
Nampa
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 86.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jersey City, NJ | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $500,100⚠ High | $289,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,799⚠ High | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $91,151 ✓ Higher | $67,346 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 3.0% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 37.0 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.7% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 148⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.9% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jersey City Public Schools | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.4°F | 39.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.8°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 9.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 287,899 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 34.6 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 29.2% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 25.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jersey City's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Nampa leads 15 of 23 categories. Jersey City wins 8 and Nampa wins 15. 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 Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($500,100 vs $289,400 median home), income ($91,151 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jersey City, NJ and Nampa, ID are about 2,162 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.