Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Jersey, Jersey City is healthier than 45% of graded towns
Jersey City differs from New Jersey on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jersey City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jersey City
New Jersey sets a high bar
Jersey City is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, but only 45% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Jersey City is behind on routine checkups
It trails New Jersey on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (75.2% vs 78%), dentist visits (58.6% vs 65.9%), cholesterol checks (86.7% vs 89.1%) and colon screening (56.9% vs 63.4%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Jersey City
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.5%), vs 14.3% across New Jersey. No reliable transportation (9.2% vs 7.4%) and utility shut-off threats (8.6% vs 7%) are higher too. 11.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Health varies a lot right around Jersey City
Grades next door run from Hoboken (A+) to Union City (C). Jersey City is an A−. Around town ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Jersey City
Jersey City runs below New Jersey on six chronic conditions, most of all cancer (4% vs 7.5%), arthritis (14.6% vs 22.2%) and heart disease (3.9% vs 5.6%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Jersey City’s likely range.
What’s behind Jersey City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jersey City is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #260 of 468 in New Jersey. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 47%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Jersey City’s median household income is $97,710; among the 8,918 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$122K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
At 302,013 residents, Jersey City is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Keeping up with care
Share of Jersey City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Jersey City adults…
Jersey City runs below NJ on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Jersey City residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.3% of Jersey City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Jersey City and the towns around it
Jersey City’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey City | A− | 26.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Secaucus | A+ | 22.2% | 8.5% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Hoboken | A+ | 22.5% | 4.5% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Bayonne | B+ | 29.1% | 10.6% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Kearny | B | 29.8% | 10.9% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Union City | C | 33.6% | 13.8% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| North Bergen Township | B− | 30.4% | 12.8% | 10.8% | ZIP 07047 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Jersey City
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Jersey City, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Jersey City; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
23 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves
How Jersey City adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
1 in 3 Jersey City adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Jersey City adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jersey City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jersey City is better than New Jersey on 8 and worse on 10; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Jersey City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jersey City | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%15.4–18.7 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.5–16.4 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.2%22.6–29.9 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.6%24.2–29.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.8%31–36.7 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.6%13–16.2 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.7–4.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.3–2.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.2–14.8 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26%23.3–28.9 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14.2–18.6 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.2%36.2–44.4 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%10.8–13.3 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%72.3–77.8 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%55.5–61.6 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%85.2–88.1 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.5%66.8–72 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.9%52.5–61.1 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%64.4–77 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 13.9%12.1–15.9 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%29.7–37.6 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.5–29.7 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.5%16.5–20.5 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.6%12.9–16.3 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%10–12.7 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.2%20.8–25.7 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.9%8.9–11 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.7–13 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.8–7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%3–3.4 | 3.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Jersey City
Is Jersey City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jersey City is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #260 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jersey City?
CDC estimates 26.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 29.9%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jersey City?
Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Jersey City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Jersey City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.8–13.3%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Jersey City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Jersey City.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.