Kearny, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kearny, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Kearny 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 Kearny 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 Kearny is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kearny is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Kearny ranks as the #124 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Kearny ranks as the #4,889 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kearny is $571,988.

  • The median income in Kearny is $83,212.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
128
Kearny's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kearny, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kearny has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Kearny ranks as #124 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Kearny ranks as the #136 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Kearny, check out:

124 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,889 out of 6,489
In America

Kearny Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Kearny is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Kearny is 100.

  • The Health index in Kearny is 98.

  • The Housing index in Kearny is 178.

  • The Transportation index in Kearny is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Kearny is 109.

Living Expense Kearny New Jersey National Average
Overall 128 122 100
Services 105 108 100
Groceries 100 104 100
Health 98 99 100
Housing 178 159 100
Transportation 110 101 100
Utilities 109 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Kearny Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Kearny, 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 Kearny is $571,988.

  • The Median Rent in Kearny is $1,649.

  • The Median Income in Kearny is $83,212.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kearny is 6.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kearny is 0.24x.

Statistic Kearny New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $571,988 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,649 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $83,212 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.9x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.21x
$571,988
Median Home Value
$1,649
Median Rent
$83,212
Median Income

Kearny, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Kearny Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Kearny 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 Kearny Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Kearny 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 Kearny Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Detailed Kearny Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Detailed Kearny Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

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

Kearny SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kearny

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

  • Newark, NJ has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Kearny.

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

  • Secaucus, NJ has a cost of living index of 155, 1.2x Kearny.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kearny
Newark, NJ 307,188 112 0.9x
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.4x
Secaucus, NJ 21,437 155 1.2x
Harrison, NJ 19,599 126 1.0x
Rutherford, NJ 18,748 144 1.1x
North Arlington, NJ 16,368 128 1.0x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.3x
Glen Rock, NJ 12,082 165 1.3x
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 12,067 138 1.1x
Lincoln Park, NJ 10,901 124 1.0x

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