Elizabeth, New Jersey, one of the state’s oldest cities, offers a rich blend of history and modern urban living. Located just across the river from New York City, Elizabeth provides its residents with the convenience of a major metropolitan area while retaining a distinct, small-city charm. The city's waterfront area, known as the Elizabeth Waterfront, features scenic views, parks, and recreational opportunities.
Elizabeth is home to a diverse population, reflected in its vibrant cultural scene and variety of international cuisines. The city hosts numerous events throughout the year, including cultural festivals, parades, and community gatherings that celebrate its rich heritage. The Elizabeth Public Library and the Ritz Theatre contribute to the city's cultural offerings, providing residents with access to arts, literature, and entertainment.
The city's strategic location near major highways and Newark Liberty International Airport makes it a convenient place for commuters. Elizabeth's robust public transportation system includes NJ Transit trains and buses, providing easy access to New York City and other parts of New Jersey. This connectivity is a significant draw for professionals working in and around the metro area.
Elizabeth offers a range of housing options, from historic homes in the Elmora and Westminster neighborhoods to modern apartments and condos. The cost of living is relatively affordable compared to other parts of the New York metropolitan area, making it an attractive option for families and young professionals. The city's public schools and nearby universities contribute to a strong educational environment.
The local economy in Elizabeth is bolstered by its proximity to major commercial hubs and its role as a shipping and transportation center. The presence of the Port of Elizabeth, one of the largest container ports in the country, supports numerous jobs in logistics, warehousing, and related industries. Overall, Elizabeth offers a dynamic urban experience with a blend of convenience, culture, and community.
Commute
A high commute score suggests convenient, easy access to public transportation, with shorter-than-average work commute times to work.
Health & Safety
Achieving a high health and safety score relies on factors including great air quality and convenient access to vital health facilities such as hospitals, doctors, clinics and police stations.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living in this area is notably high, making it a more expensive place to live. You'll find higher expenses for everyday goods and services, housing and groceries.
Crime
This area exhibits elevated crime rates per 100,000 residents, which may suggest it's a potentially unsafe place to reside. These rates encompass both property and violent crimes.
Schools
The lower than average schools score may be influenced by below-average education levels, subpar reading and math scores and the lack of access to local elementary and high schools.
Elizabeth, New Jersey is a medium-sized city with a population of 131,890 people. Elizabeth has a population density of 10,706 people per square mile. This would be considered well above the national population density level. More than a quarter of the residents of Elizabeth identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 60% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. Elizabeth is not known to have a high population (over 15 years old) of married people. At only 43% married, this city falls well below the national average. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in Elizabeth, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 26 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new area to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Elizabeth could be a positive experience compared to other cities in New Jersey if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Elizabeth and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, crime, cost of living, commute, education and other important metrics.
Elizabeth has a livability score of 69/100 and is ranked #273 in New Jersey and #7,630 in the USA. Elizabeth does not do well for the following: crime (D-), cost of living (F) and education (D-). It might be wise to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Elizabeth is actually affordable. The median home price for Elizabeth homes is $538,500, which is 3.1% lower than the New Jersey average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Elizabeth, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 7.1, which is 39.2% higher than the New Jersey average.
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | Elizabeth | New Jersey | National |
| Average one way commute | 26min | 31min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 60.5% | 71.7% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 11.2% | 8.1% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 10.0% | 11.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 4.4% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 3.5% | 4.1% | 4.6% |
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