What is the cost of living in Brookdale, NJ?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brookdale has an overall cost of living index of 139, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to New Jersey, Brookdale has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than New Jersey's index of 125.
The standard of living in Brookdale ranks as #167 most affordable out of the 262 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Brookdale ranks as the #95 most expensive place in the Garden State.
For more reading on life in Brookdale, check out:
Brookdale Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brookdale. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Brookdale is 110.
The Groceries index in Brookdale is 115.
The Health index in Brookdale is 196.
The Housing index in Brookdale is 113.
The Transportation index in Brookdale is 110.
The Utilities index in Brookdale is 113.
| Living Expense | Brookdale | New Jersey | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 139 | 125 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 107 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 113 | 100 |
| Health | 196 | 155 | 100 |
| Housing | 113 | 116 | 100 |
| Transportation | 110 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 113 | 113 | 100 |
Brookdale Cost Of Living Compared To New Jersey Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Brookdale Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Brookdale, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Brookdale is $718,655.
The Median Rent in Brookdale is $1,791.
The Median Income in Brookdale is $161,779.
The Home Value To Income in Brookdale is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Brookdale is 0.13x.
| Statistic | Brookdale | New Jersey | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $718,655 | $569,411 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,791 | $1,720 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $161,779 | $103,556 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.4x | 5.5x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.13x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Brookdale, NJ Costs By Category
Detailed Brookdale Services costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Brookdale | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.48 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.78 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $25.62 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.67 | $45.56 |
Detailed Brookdale Groceries costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Brookdale | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.65 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.71 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.33 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed Brookdale Health costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Brookdale | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $157.11 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $115.59 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $124.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Brookdale Transportation costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Brookdale | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.41 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $82.67 | $59.92 |
Detailed Brookdale Utilities costs vs. New Jersey
| Item | Brookdale | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $236.04 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.61 | $192.25 |
Brookdale SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Brookdale
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brookdale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Clifton, NJ has a cost of living index of 132, 0.9x Brookdale.
Passaic, NJ has a cost of living index of 130, 0.9x Brookdale.
Nanuet, NY has a cost of living index of 143, 1.0x Brookdale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Brookdale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton, NJ | 89,379 | 132 | 0.9x |
| Passaic, NJ | 70,002 | 130 | 0.9x |
| Nanuet, NY | 19,799 | 143 | 1.0x |
| Rutherford, NJ | 18,894 | 147 | 1.1x |
| North Arlington, NJ | 16,461 | 134 | 1.0x |
| Woodland Park, NJ | 13,355 | 135 | 1.0x |
| Upper Montclair, NJ | 12,457 | 184 | 1.3x |
| Wallington, NJ | 11,889 | 137 | 1.0x |
| Suffern, NY | 11,441 | 128 | 0.9x |
| Lincoln Park, NJ | 10,957 | 133 | 1.0x |








