Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Savannah, GA
VS
Toms River, NJ
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Savannah
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
Toms River
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,012 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35
Population
92,827
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $153k less ($203,300 vs $356,100)
85% less violent crime than Toms River
Rent averages $376/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,592)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Toms River
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Toms River by $37,264/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.7%)
Toms River, NJ
Pros
Households earn $37,264 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.7%)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $356,100
Higher rents — median is $1,592/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Savannah
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Savannah
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
85% lower
20.3 vs 134.3 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$153k less
$203,300 vs $356,100
Savannah
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 85.5°F
Toms River
Median Income
$37,264
$92,012 vs $54,748/yr
Toms River
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Savannah, GA | Toms River, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $203,300 ✓ Lower | $356,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,216 ✓ Lower | $1,592⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,748 | $92,012 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 43 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 5 ✓ Safer | 35 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 53 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.1% | 34.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 93.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Savannah-Chatham County | Toms River Regional School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.0" | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 23.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 147,583 ✓ Larger | 92,827 |
| Median Age | 33.5 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 80.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Savannah's cost of living index is 95.6 vs Toms River's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Savannah wins 10 and Toms River wins 10. 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 Savannah to Toms River or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($203,300 vs $356,100 median home), income ($54,748 vs $92,012), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Savannah, GA and Toms River, NJ are about 676 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.