Carteret, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carteret, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Carteret research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Carteret is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Carteret is 123, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carteret is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Carteret ranks as the #103 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Carteret ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carteret is $540,039.

  • The median income in Carteret is $87,553.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
123
Carteret's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carteret, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carteret has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Carteret has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Carteret ranks as #103 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Carteret ranks as the #157 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Carteret, check out:

103 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,598 out of 6,489
In America

Carteret Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carteret. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carteret is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Carteret is 100.

  • The Health index in Carteret is 97.

  • The Housing index in Carteret is 156.

  • The Transportation index in Carteret is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Carteret is 109.

Living Expense Carteret New Jersey National Average
Overall 123 122 100
Services 107 108 100
Groceries 100 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 156 159 100
Transportation 106 101 100
Utilities 109 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Carteret Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Carteret, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Carteret is $540,039.

  • The Median Rent in Carteret is $2,012.

  • The Median Income in Carteret is $87,553.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carteret is 6.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carteret is 0.28x.

Statistic Carteret New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $540,039 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $2,012 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $87,553 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.2x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.2x 0.21x
$540,039
Median Home Value
$2,012
Median Rent
$87,553
Median Income

Carteret, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Carteret Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Carteret 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 Carteret Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Carteret 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 Carteret Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Carteret New Jersey
Optometrist $157.11 $125.68
Doctor $115.59 $135.78
Dentist $124.27 $113.29

Detailed Carteret Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Carteret New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $82.67 $59.92

Detailed Carteret Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Carteret New Jersey
All Electricity $236.04 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Carteret SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carteret

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carteret. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Perth Amboy, NJ has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Carteret.

  • Linden, NJ has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Carteret.

  • Westfield, NJ has a cost of living index of 178, 1.4x Carteret.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carteret
Perth Amboy, NJ 55,278 119 1.0x
Linden, NJ 43,614 119 1.0x
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.4x
Rahway, NJ 29,748 116 0.9x
Roselle, NJ 22,455 111 0.9x
Woodbridge, NJ 20,086 127 1.0x
Iselin, NJ 19,151 131 1.1x
Colonia, NJ 18,294 131 1.1x
Avenel, NJ 17,143 122 1.0x
Middlesex, NJ 14,518 126 1.0x

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