Newark earns a D−, 453rd among New Jersey's 466 graded towns, mostly because of schools and health. Its public schools trail 87% of New Jersey towns on state tests and graduation. Residents are less healthy than 87% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. What it does well: it is among the most walkable places in the country. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 75 places on the National Register. 23% of residents live below the poverty line in Newark, against 6% in New Jersey’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 13 of New Jersey’s 530 towns score lower on incomes. Its National Register listings include Grace Church and John Ballantine House.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺HistoryWeakestDSchools DHealth DCost of living C⁻Safety C⁻Jobs & income

What makes Newark stand out

Where Newark beats most towns.

Grace Church

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1666

A history going back 360 years.

Biggest of 4

College	Students
New Jersey Institute of Technology	12,314
Rutgers University-Newark	9,695
Essex County College	5,890

Colleges in town

4 colleges

28,448 students on campus

Students are 7% of residents.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

24.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Grace Church · National Register of Historic Places

Newark’s story

360 years in pictures

Grace Church is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1666, comes before those of 97% of the New Jersey towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 8,008 in 1810, a peak of 442,337 in 1930, 311,549 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1808 and 5 maps from 1947 on.

75 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1666Newark is settled

Explore the history →

How Newark grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Newark is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D for schools (better than 13%), so the D− overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.8 of 20; 34.3% of households have no carA⁺Open →SchoolsDOpen →HealthSaint Michael's Medical Center 1.3 miles awayDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyMore crime per resident than 85% of U.S. townsC⁻Open →Jobs & income$52K median household incomeC⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsB⁺Open →History36 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life0.9 library visits per resident; 2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market68 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.7; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Madison Square Garden and 547 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Newark. Close and well known come first.

All 633 attractions →

Big draw10 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden

Big draw12 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year

Big draw8 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium

Big draw10 mi TheatreStudio 54

Big draw8 mi MuseumNational September 11 Memorial & Museum

Big draw12 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Newark: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Newark, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPSE&G25.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterNewark Water Department1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site

SchoolsNewark City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn New Jersey you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereEssex County ClerkEssex County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2024

ZIP codes07104, 07105, 07107, 0710307104 17% · 07105 16% · 07107 13% · 07103 13%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Newark.

Newark is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at about twice the New Jersey rate and has poverty well above the New Jersey rate.

SchoolsD

Newark’s grade for schools is a D

Its public schools are run by the Newark Public School District. Three of its 94 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

13%of NJ districts it outscoresDSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Ann Street SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8	Grades K–8	1,294	C⁻
North Star Academy Charter SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12	Grades K–12	6,714	B⁻
Science Park High SchoolTop results in townGrades 7–12	Grades 7–12	964	A

Full pageNewark’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsNewark Public School District Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 8 graded neighbors Every school94 schools · Ann Street School Questions“Are Newark’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation

HealthD

A larger share of adults in Newark say their health is fair or poor than in the typical New Jersey or U.S. town

Against the 6,481 U.S. towns with household incomes like Newark’s, it is less healthy than 70%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income. All 6 graded neighbors score healthier than its D, from Irvington Township (C) to Maplewood Township (A+).

29% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Newark. Among 468 New Jersey towns, just 5 have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Newark. 39% of adults feel lonely in Newark.

13%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade

	Newark	New Jersey towns	U.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	29%	15%	19%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	38%	22%	25%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	46%	36%	36%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	39%	32%	33%

32 measures vs. New Jersey

2 better7 too close to call23 worse

What stands out	Newark	NJ
Fewer adults who have had cancer	4%	7.5%
Fewer adults with arthritis	19.9%	22.2%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	19.5%	7%

Saint Michael's Medical Center

1.3 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: primary care, mental health

3rd

percentile among NJ towns

Full pageNewark’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.3 miles to an ER · Saint Michael's Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NJ on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SafetyC⁻

Newark stands out in New Jersey and nationally, with violent crime higher than most

Violent crime runs at 5.2 per 1,000 residents, about twice the New Jersey rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its C−. Reported crimes fell from 8,232 to 7,326 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Newark’s violent crime rate is 5.2 per 1,000 residents. Newark reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 85% report less. Newark’s property crime rate is 17.8 per 1,000 residents.

15%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁻Safety Grade

	Newark	New Jersey towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	5.2 per 1,000 residents	0.7	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	17.8 per 1,000 residents	7.4	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Newark5.2

New Jersey2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Newark17.8

New Jersey12.7

U.S.15.5

15th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

7th

percentile among NJ towns

1,646

violent crimes reported in 2025

5,680

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageNewark’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type5.2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 7 graded neighbors Questions“Is Newark, NJ safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

OutdoorsB⁺

Conserved land covers 4% of Newark

23 miles of trail in 30 parks and preserves. Branch Brook Park, at 337 acres with 10.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. The trail density in Newark is 0.9 miles per square mile.

#171for trails in NJ

	Newark	New Jersey towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.9 miles per square mile	0.7	0.4
Conserved land	4%	11%	4.3%

conserved · 657 of 16,472 acres

23 mi

of trails · 0.9 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Branch Brook Park	10.6 mi	337
2. Vailsburg Park	1.5 mi	30
3. West Side Park	1.4 mi	32

Full pageNewark’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map23 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk10.6 miles of trail · Branch Brook Park Conserved land4% conserved · 657 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Newark?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

In Newark, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Newark has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 25° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.

32″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter27–43°

Spring42–62°

Summer65–84°

Fall48–66°

Nov 10

typical first frost

Apr 2

typical last frost

+2.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageNewark’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 25°Rain & snow32″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+2.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁻

A job hub: Newark has 1.5 jobs for every working resident and draws in 121,323 commuters

About one in 4 of Newark’s working residents works in town. 7.3% of Newark workers work from home. Jobs based in Newark grew to 146,706 in 2023, 16,499 more than in 2013.

25%work in town

	Newark	New Jersey towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	25%	6.3%	8%
Median household income	$52,000	$113,000	$80,000
Work from home	7.3%	17%	11%
Average trip to work	33 minutes	30 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Newark25%

New York11%

Elizabeth3%

Jersey City3%

Union Township2%

8 mi

median commute distance

146,706

jobs based in Newark

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageNewark’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here146,706 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work25% work in Newark Commute times33 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade D

Homes in Newark are worth about $481K, by Zillow’s estimate

The typical Newark home is worth about $481,000, down 1% in a year, 16% below the New Jersey typical home. Only 5 of the 468 New Jersey towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Newark.

$481KZillow home value

	Newark	New Jersey towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	24%	77%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	57%	52%	48%
Median rent	$1,392 a month	$1,780 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Newark$481K

New Jersey$575K

Market temperature

days on market

102.4%

sale-to-list price

−1%

value change, 1 year

104

homes sold in May

Full pageNewark’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 9.2 years of income Rents$1,392 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 7 of its 8 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Newark faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

222 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 27 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 222 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Newark.

47risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHeat wavesEarthquakes

222

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNewark’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims222 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters12 federal disasters · Paid out in Newark Get ready3.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Newark

20pages on Newark

The big questions

SchoolsDBehind 87% of NJ districts · 94 schools SafetyC⁻5.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than NJ on 2 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$481K typical home · down 1% in a year Work & commuteC⁻$52K median household income · 146,706 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁻FEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁺23 mi of trails · 4% conserved land PlacesAttractions633 nearby · Prudential Center under 1 mi LibraryD⁻0.9 library visits per resident CollegesEssex County College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1666 · 75 on the National Register Famous people36 born in Newark Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 86 residents Climate87° summer highs · 32″ of snow

Day to day

News27 recent stories about Newark WeatherHandbookZIP code 07101, 07102, 07103 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

122 within 15 miles of the center of Newark

Essex County CollegeCommunity college · Public · NewarkIn town$5,415 in-state tuition Rutgers University-NewarkUniversity or college · Public · NewarkIn town$17,250 in-state tuition Pillar CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · NewarkIn town$25,900 tuition

About 7 of every 100 Newark residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Jersey.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

New Jersey Institute of Technology calls Newark home

4 colleges in town.

New Jersey Institute of Technology12,314 students on campus

Admission: 65%
Net price: $16,504
Graduate: 73%

Rutgers University-Newark9,695 students on campus

Admission: 71%
Net price: $19,703
Graduate: 64%

Essex County College5,890 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $4,436
Graduate: 20%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

75 places in Newark on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Grace ChurchNational Historic Landmark

John Ballantine HouseNational Historic Landmark

Sydenham House

Pan American C.M.A. Church

Famous people from Newark

36 notable people were born in Newark.

See all 36 →

Whitney HoustonAmerican singer, actress, and film producer · 1963–2012

Allen GinsbergAmerican poet and writer · 1926–1997

Philip RothAmerican novelist · 1933–2018

Jerry LewisAmerican comedian, actor and film director · 1926–2017

Shaquille O'NealAmerican basketball player · born 1972

Paul AusterAmerican novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter · 1947–2024

About Newark

Most populous city in New Jersey, United States

Official town website ↗

Newark ( NEW-ərk, locally NOORK) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 311,549. The Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 323,808 for 2025, making it the 61st-most populous municipality in the nation. Settled in 1666 by Puritans from New Haven Colony, Newark is one of the oldest cities in the United States. Its location at the mouth of the Passaic River, where it flows into Newark Bay, has made the city's waterfront an integral part of the Port of New York and New Jersey. Port Newark–Elizabeth is the primary containe…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1666
Area: 26 sq mi
Elevation: 10 ft
ZIP code: 07101, 07102, 07103
Area code: 973, 862

Newark’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Newark.

Explore the map →

All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D−; Irvington Township (D−) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	NJ rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Newark	#453	D⁻	D	C⁻	D	D
Irvington Township	#448	D⁻	C⁻	D	D	C
Belleville Township	#371	C	D	C	C	A⁻
Silver Lake	—	—	—	—	—	—
Elizabeth	#435	D	D	D	C	C
South Orange Village Township	#186	B⁺	D⁻	B	B⁺	A⁺
Kearny	#383	C⁻	D	—	C	B
Maplewood Township	#156	A⁻	D⁻	B	B⁺	A⁺

Kearny reports no FBI crime data of its own. Silver Lake isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Newark with a neighbor →

Questions about Newark

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Newark, NJ a good place to live?

Newark grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #453 of 466 in New Jersey. It grades D for health, C− for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Newark, NJ expensive?

Yes. That is 4.8 years of the area's median household income ($99,155 across the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Newark, NJ known for?

36 notable people were born here, including Whitney Houston and Allen Ginsberg.

Post to Newark

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Is Newark a good place to live?