Nothing in New Jersey comes cheap.
So, when it comes to finding the cheapest places to live in New Jersey, you’re going to have to put in the work.
Luckily, we put the work in for you. We researced home prices, incomes, and the overall cost of living from the Census. We crunched the numbers using Saturday Night Science to identify where it’s relaively affordable in the Garden State.
Many of these affordable cities provide access to fresh produce, quality diners, pizza, and a bagel with pork roll around the corner.
In other words, the reasons why nothing comes cheap in New Jersey.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in New Jersey
What’s the cheapest place to live in New Jersey? The cheapest place to live in New Jersey is Bridgeton.
Other dollar-saving cities in New Jersey include Crestwood Village and Camden.
Read on to learn how we crunched the numbers and to see how your favorite city ranks amongst the cheapest places to live in New Jersey.
Check out some more reading about New Jersey and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey For 2024
/10
Population: 26,895
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 89
Median Income: $44,440
Median Home Price: $221,011
Median Rent: $1,246
The rule in New Jersey for affordable living is to get as far away from New York City as possible. Bridgeton fits that bill as it’s about as far southwest in New Jersey as you can be without hitting Delaware.
Bridgeton is a shining beacon of budget-friendliness as it ranks as the cheapest city in New Jersey. With an average home price of $221,011 and an average rent of $1,246, you have plenty left each month to visit the Cohanzick Zoo.
More on Bridgeton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 8,479
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 90
Median Income: $37,214
Median Home Price: $105,864
Median Rent: $1,159
Crestwood Village, located in Ocean County in the southern part of New Jersey, is the second lowest cost city in the state. The city has the second best home price to income in the Garden State.
The cost of living index at 90 is below the national average, cementing Crestwood Village as a financially savvy selection. The Jersey Shore provides plenty to do for residents.
More on Crestwood Village: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 71,799
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $36,258
Median Home Price: $112,692
Median Rent: $1,091
Camden, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, has the third lowest home prices and a solid ninth home-price-to-income ratio. The city has the third lowest overall cost of living.
Camden has been steadily improving over the years and now has fun things to do, including Wiggins Waterfront Park and Adventure Aquarium, without breaking the budget.
More on Camden: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 27,523
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $65,279
Median Home Price: $218,665
Median Rent: $1,187
Millville, in Cumberland County, ranks as the fourth cheapest city in NJ. According to Zillow, the average home price is the tenth lowest in the state at $218,665.
Like most cities on this list, Millville splits the distance between the Shore and the greater Philadelphia metro area. The town is home to the New Jersey Motorsports Park.
More on Millville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,866
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $41,304
Median Home Price: $146,999
Median Rent: $1,470
You can take it easy on your wallet in Leisure Village. A 55+ and older community, it just broke the 5,000 population minimum this year.
It’s easy to save money when home prices are $146,999, and the most exciting thing to happen in town is bragging about your grandkids getting into Rutgers.
More on Leisure Village: Data | Real Estate
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Population: 90,055
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $44,444
Median Home Price: $304,449
Median Rent: $1,177
Trenton, the state capital and one of the biggest cities in New Jersey, took home the sixth spot for the cheapest places in the state. It’s not every day you get affordability in bigger cities, but Trenton proves the exception.
The overall cost of living index of 97 includes low index values for utilities, services, and healthcare. Pulling a bit of a random rabbit out of a hat, I’ve been to the Grounds For Sculpture near Trenton and can personally attest it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon that isn’t too expensive.
More on Trenton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 11,435
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $71,756
Median Home Price: $207,729
Median Rent: $1,400
Yet another Philly suburb, Gloucester City ranks as the seventh least expensive place in New Jersey. It’s hard to find much different between all these South Jersey places. It’s the same story with Gloucester City having only a $207,729, according to Zillow.
More on Gloucester City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 6,195
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $58,271
Median Home Price: $198,943
Median Rent: $986
Paulsboro has impressively low living costs, including a cost of living index at 97 and home prices at $198,943. Ok, get ready for this, the ‘Paulsboro Pocketbook Paradise’ proves prosperous for those prioritizing practicality in the northeastern corridor.
Yea, you guessed it, Paulsboro is another Philadelphia suburb.
More on Paulsboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 5,285
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $35,143
Median Home Price: $190,963
Median Rent: $980
No one will call you a witch for the savings magic you find in Salem, one of the cheapest cities in New Jersey. The local cost-cutting witchcraft leads to an overall cost of living of 19.2% lower than the New Jersey average.
A Wilmington suburb, the average rent in Salem comes in at $980, the fifth lowest in the state.
More on Salem: Data | Crime | Real Estate
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Population: 60,796
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 98
Median Income: $63,468
Median Home Price: $270,058
Median Rent: $1,177
In South Jersey’s Cumberland County, you’ll find the tenth cheapest city in the state – Vineland. It squeaked onto the list with a manageable 98 overall cost of living index is 22 points lower than the state average.
The home price to income ratio of 4.26 places 95th best statewide. That means you have more of your income to spend at the Jersey Shore or on a day trip to Philadelphia.
More on Vineland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cheapest places to live in New Jersey FAQs
The county in New Jersey with the lowest cost of living is Salem County. The average living wage in Salem County is $100,920 according to MIT data. Salem County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to New Jersey as a whole. Childcare costs $18,832 a year in Salem County for two children compared to the New Jersey average of $24,713. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $15,120 per year in Salem County compared to $19,486 on average in New Jersey.
The cost of living in New Jersey is 25.5% higher than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in New Jersey is $112,597 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a New Jersey household is $85,245.
The cheapest housing market in New Jersey is Camden. The average home value in Camden is $82,500, the lowest in the state. The average home value in New Jersey is $343,500, almost 4.2 times higher than Camden.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Garden State for 2024
Determining affordability for places in New Jersey boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for New Jersey using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in New Jersey to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 259 places in New Jersey that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in New Jersey with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Bridgeton.
We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in New Jersey.
New Jersey Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in New Jersey for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in New Jersey.
The cheapest cities in New Jersey are Bridgeton, Crestwood Village, Camden, Millville, Leisure Village, Trenton, Gloucester City, Paulsboro, Salem, and Vineland.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in New Jersey according to the data:
- Short Hills
- Englewood Cliffs
- Rumson
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridgeton | 26,895 | 89 | $44,440 | $221,011 | $1,246 |
| 2 | Crestwood Village | 8,479 | 90 | $37,214 | $105,864 | $1,159 |
| 3 | Camden | 71,799 | 94 | $36,258 | $112,692 | $1,091 |
| 4 | Millville | 27,523 | 94 | $65,279 | $218,665 | $1,187 |
| 5 | Leisure Village | 5,866 | 96 | $41,304 | $146,999 | $1,470 |
| 6 | Trenton | 90,055 | 97 | $44,444 | $304,449 | $1,177 |
| 7 | Gloucester City | 11,435 | 97 | $71,756 | $207,729 | $1,400 |
| 8 | Paulsboro | 6,195 | 97 | $58,271 | $198,943 | $986 |
| 9 | Salem | 5,285 | 97 | $35,143 | $190,963 | $980 |
| 10 | Vineland | 60,796 | 98 | $63,468 | $270,058 | $1,177 |
| 11 | Phillipsburg | 15,206 | 98 | $64,130 | $287,518 | $1,120 |
| 12 | Lindenwold | 21,337 | 99 | $53,645 | $227,531 | $1,179 |
| 13 | Villas | 9,925 | 99 | $74,182 | $329,982 | $1,394 |
| 14 | Atlantic City | 38,487 | 100 | $35,188 | $189,928 | $1,057 |
| 15 | Pleasantville | 20,562 | 100 | $48,704 | $198,435 | $1,214 |
| 16 | Pine Hill | 10,698 | 100 | $69,176 | $237,936 | $1,173 |
| 17 | Browns Mills | 10,060 | 100 | $70,826 | $273,687 | $1,169 |
| 18 | Clayton | 8,801 | 100 | $91,711 | $269,019 | $1,180 |
| 19 | Glassboro | 23,014 | 101 | $78,518 | $318,867 | $1,468 |
| 20 | Williamstown | 14,770 | 101 | $89,567 | $322,665 | $1,166 |
| 21 | Mays Landing | 6,183 | 101 | $83,639 | $278,277 | $1,196 |
| 22 | Glendora | 5,817 | 101 | $83,689 | $284,961 | $783 |
| 23 | Clementon | 5,312 | 101 | $62,917 | $270,554 | $996 |
| 24 | Pennsville | 12,256 | 102 | $76,009 | $240,393 | $1,197 |
| 25 | Bellmawr | 11,677 | 102 | $71,935 | $270,837 | $1,081 |
| 26 | Stratford | 6,962 | 102 | $89,200 | $297,326 | $1,109 |
| 27 | Somerdale | 5,524 | 102 | $83,778 | $307,227 | $1,108 |
| 28 | Holiday City-Berkeley | 12,639 | 103 | $45,260 | $269,417 | $1,656 |
| 29 | Burlington | 9,833 | 103 | $69,351 | $241,128 | $1,382 |
| 30 | Absecon | 9,086 | 103 | $73,141 | $295,803 | $1,697 |
| 31 | Runnemede | 8,307 | 103 | $85,700 | $275,560 | $1,326 |
| 32 | Palmyra | 7,437 | 103 | $84,866 | $266,511 | $1,637 |
| 33 | Wildwood | 5,164 | 103 | $49,131 | $549,726 | $1,287 |
| 34 | Somers Point | 10,482 | 104 | $68,262 | $360,383 | $1,240 |
| 35 | Woodbury | 9,981 | 104 | $75,425 | $289,967 | $939 |
| 36 | Pomona | 8,878 | 104 | $95,161 | $293,011 | $933 |
| 37 | Audubon | 8,695 | 105 | $103,379 | $336,856 | $1,183 |
| 38 | Pitman | 8,805 | 106 | $91,566 | $317,191 | $1,336 |
| 39 | Carneys Point | 8,136 | 106 | $71,602 | $224,354 | $1,248 |
| 40 | Mystic Island | 7,635 | 106 | $65,194 | $323,275 | $1,630 |
| 41 | East Orange | 68,879 | 107 | $58,659 | $411,261 | $1,331 |
| 42 | Newton | 8,370 | 107 | $72,240 | $393,001 | $1,333 |
| 43 | Barrington | 7,022 | 107 | $82,070 | $324,789 | $1,247 |
| 44 | Hammonton | 14,732 | 108 | $79,747 | $328,819 | $1,362 |
| 45 | Keansburg | 9,761 | 108 | $80,144 | $323,954 | $1,591 |
| 46 | Smithville | 9,135 | 108 | $67,453 | $294,740 | $1,429 |
| 47 | Washington | 7,240 | 108 | $67,761 | $256,199 | $1,205 |
| 48 | Echelon | 13,553 | 109 | $75,874 | $336,369 | $1,642 |
| 49 | Northfield | 8,432 | 109 | $103,977 | $339,039 | $1,543 |
| 50 | Berlin | 7,489 | 109 | $98,706 | $342,726 | $1,616 |
| 51 | Newark | 307,355 | 110 | $46,460 | $432,693 | $1,273 |
| 52 | Roselle | 22,500 | 110 | $75,264 | $433,224 | $1,367 |
| 53 | Ellisburg | 5,476 | 110 | $88,486 | $342,669 | $1,395 |
| 54 | Marlton | 10,403 | 111 | $90,345 | $356,134 | $1,508 |
| 55 | White Horse | 9,692 | 111 | $101,380 | $326,117 | $1,490 |
| 56 | Forked River | 5,003 | 111 | $87,195 | $430,687 | $1,894 |
| 57 | Cape May Court House | 5,557 | 112 | $66,422 | $392,107 | $1,343 |
| 58 | Ocean Acres | 18,229 | 113 | $106,367 | $402,705 | $1,987 |
| 59 | Cherry Hill Mall | 13,070 | 113 | $107,056 | $347,981 | $1,777 |
| 60 | Ventnor City | 9,285 | 113 | $71,321 | $510,990 | $1,507 |
| 61 | Twin Rivers | 8,144 | 113 | $110,750 | $321,793 | $1,598 |
| 62 | Hopatcong | 14,411 | 114 | $107,670 | $381,593 | $1,682 |
| 63 | Collingswood | 14,135 | 114 | $78,909 | $389,070 | $1,247 |
| 64 | South Amboy | 9,336 | 114 | $94,776 | $438,770 | $1,657 |
| 65 | Wharton | 7,217 | 114 | $91,557 | $427,591 | $1,815 |
| 66 | Kingston Estates | 6,999 | 114 | $100,212 | $339,581 | $1,700 |
| 67 | Plainfield | 54,358 | 115 | $70,712 | $443,546 | $1,559 |
| 68 | Linden | 43,478 | 115 | $86,801 | $488,730 | $1,597 |
| 69 | North Plainfield | 22,695 | 115 | $81,219 | $432,136 | $1,485 |
| 70 | Manville | 10,892 | 115 | $85,925 | $410,651 | $1,673 |
| 71 | Pine Lake Park | 9,711 | 115 | $87,358 | $403,446 | $1,713 |
| 72 | Ashland | 9,383 | 115 | $112,690 | $348,475 | $2,108 |
| 73 | Madison Park | 8,291 | 115 | $74,651 | $437,046 | $1,522 |
| 74 | Laurence Harbor | 6,418 | 115 | $95,399 | $387,881 | $1,534 |
| 75 | Yardville | 6,405 | 115 | $107,661 | $367,252 | $1,449 |
| 76 | Paterson | 157,864 | 116 | $52,092 | $433,327 | $1,392 |
| 77 | Elizabeth | 135,665 | 116 | $59,939 | $485,755 | $1,390 |
| 78 | Perth Amboy | 55,226 | 116 | $56,239 | $409,914 | $1,562 |
| 79 | Dover | 18,426 | 116 | $67,987 | $443,950 | $1,698 |
| 80 | Avenel | 17,211 | 116 | $84,549 | $428,904 | $1,722 |
| 81 | Mercerville | 14,364 | 116 | $116,380 | $380,963 | $1,615 |
| 82 | Spotswood | 8,136 | 116 | $100,781 | $457,158 | $1,124 |
| 83 | Haddon Heights | 7,484 | 116 | $117,556 | $429,614 | $1,209 |
| 84 | Keyport | 7,188 | 116 | $75,709 | $420,902 | $1,251 |
| 85 | Jamesburg | 5,783 | 116 | $112,813 | $391,126 | $1,431 |
| 86 | New Brunswick | 55,718 | 117 | $57,138 | $373,463 | $1,754 |
| 87 | South River | 16,081 | 117 | $95,981 | $450,211 | $1,615 |
| 88 | Roselle Park | 13,964 | 117 | $97,769 | $481,750 | $1,455 |
| 89 | Pompton Lakes | 11,052 | 117 | $113,781 | $464,830 | $1,716 |
| 90 | Budd Lake | 9,983 | 117 | $99,303 | $483,233 | $1,216 |
| 91 | Linwood | 6,952 | 117 | $133,487 | $417,000 | $1,780 |
| 92 | Carteret | 25,161 | 118 | $79,049 | $462,130 | $1,833 |
| 93 | Beachwood | 10,933 | 118 | $99,099 | $402,754 | $2,067 |
| 94 | Prospect Park | 6,299 | 118 | $54,271 | $444,922 | $1,758 |
| 95 | Woodbridge | 20,927 | 119 | $103,481 | $405,857 | $1,973 |
| 96 | Fords | 12,663 | 119 | $110,643 | $440,393 | $1,870 |
| 97 | Freehold | 12,498 | 119 | $71,205 | $525,108 | $1,678 |
| 98 | Wanaque | 11,217 | 119 | $108,650 | $439,505 | $1,842 |
| 99 | Dunellen | 7,598 | 119 | $86,532 | $449,110 | $1,402 |
| 100 | Toms River | 92,827 | 120 | $92,012 | $401,834 | $1,592 |