Lakewood, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lakewood, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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 Lakewood is 147, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lakewood is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Lakewood ranks as the #196 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Lakewood ranks as the #5,616 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lakewood is $565,657.

  • The median income in Lakewood is $57,576.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
147
Lakewood's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lakewood, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lakewood has an overall cost of living index of 147, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Lakewood has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Lakewood ranks as #196 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Lakewood ranks as the #64 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Lakewood, check out:

196 out of 260
In New Jersey
5,616 out of 6,489
In America

Lakewood Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Lakewood is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Lakewood is 105.

  • The Health index in Lakewood is 104.

  • The Housing index in Lakewood is 232.

  • The Transportation index in Lakewood is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Lakewood is 109.

Living Expense Lakewood New Jersey National Average
Overall 147 122 100
Services 113 108 100
Groceries 105 104 100
Health 104 99 100
Housing 232 159 100
Transportation 107 101 100
Utilities 109 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Lakewood Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Lakewood, 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 Lakewood is $565,657.

  • The Median Rent in Lakewood is $1,647.

  • The Median Income in Lakewood is $57,576.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lakewood is 9.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lakewood is 0.34x.

Statistic Lakewood New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $565,657 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,647 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $57,576 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.8x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.34x 0.2x 0.21x
$565,657
Median Home Value
$1,647
Median Rent
$57,576
Median Income

Lakewood, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Lakewood Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Lakewood New Jersey
Shampoo $1.53 $1.28
Movie $14.53 $12.13
Bowling $20.98 $18
Haircut $30.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.0 $45.56

Detailed Lakewood Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Lakewood New Jersey
Ground Beef $6.13 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.7 $4.67
Potatoes $5.32 $4.93
Pizza $12.59 $12.09
Beer $11.12 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Lakewood Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Lakewood New Jersey
Optometrist $129.93 $125.68
Doctor $124.1 $135.78
Dentist $129.94 $113.29

Detailed Lakewood Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Lakewood New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.38 $59.92

Detailed Lakewood Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Lakewood New Jersey
All Electricity $223.08 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Lakewood SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
9
Affordability
2
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lakewood

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

  • Toms River, NJ has a cost of living index of 125, 0.9x Lakewood.

  • Tinton Falls, NJ has a cost of living index of 134, 0.9x Lakewood.

  • West Freehold, NJ has a cost of living index of 136, 0.9x Lakewood.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lakewood
Toms River, NJ 93,915 125 0.9x
Tinton Falls, NJ 19,252 134 0.9x
West Freehold, NJ 14,233 136 0.9x
Freehold, NJ 12,504 125 0.9x
Pine Lake Park, NJ 9,251 122 0.8x
Twin Rivers, NJ 8,315 118 0.8x
Yorketown, NJ 7,265 140 1.0x
Lincroft, NJ 6,901 146 1.0x
Ramtown, NJ 6,410 134 0.9x
Little Silver, NJ 6,096 196 1.3x

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