Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Toms River, NJ
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Toms River leads 14 of 23 categories
Toms River
New Jersey
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,012 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
92,827
Yakima
Washington
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Toms River, NJ
Pros
Households earn $36,278 more per year on average
75% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (5.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,592/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $356,100
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Rent averages $578/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,592)
Homes cost $113k less ($243,300 vs $356,100)
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Toms River
Cons
Median income trails Toms River by $36,278/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Toms River
Median Income
$36,278
$92,012 vs $55,734/yr
Toms River
Violent Crime
75% lower
134.3 vs 544.3 per 100k
Toms River
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
5.7% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$113k less
$243,300 vs $356,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Toms River, NJ | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $356,100⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,592⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,012 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Toms River Regional School District | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 41.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.0" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.7" | 20.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,827 | 96,764 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.3 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.6% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Toms River's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Toms River leads 14 of 23 categories. Toms River wins 14 and Yakima wins 9. 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 Toms River to Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($356,100 vs $243,300 median home), income ($92,012 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Toms River, NJ and Yakima, WA are about 2,341 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.