Rockaway, NJ Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Rockaway, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Rockaway 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 Rockaway 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 Rockaway is 125, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Rockaway ranks as the #109 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Rockaway ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rockaway is $564,696.

  • The median income in Rockaway is $100,028.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
125
Rockaway's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rockaway, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rockaway has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Rockaway ranks as #109 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Rockaway ranks as the #151 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Rockaway, check out:

109 out of 260
In New Jersey
4,715 out of 6,489
In America

Rockaway Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

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

  • The Services index in Rockaway is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Rockaway is 100.

  • The Health index in Rockaway is 97.

  • The Housing index in Rockaway is 179.

  • The Transportation index in Rockaway is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Rockaway is 101.

Living Expense Rockaway New Jersey National Average
Overall 125 122 100
Services 102 108 100
Groceries 100 104 100
Health 97 99 100
Housing 179 159 100
Transportation 95 101 100
Utilities 101 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Rockaway Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Rockaway, 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 Rockaway is $564,696.

  • The Median Rent in Rockaway is $1,496.

  • The Median Income in Rockaway is $100,028.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rockaway is 5.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rockaway is 0.18x.

Statistic Rockaway New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $564,696 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,496 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $100,028 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.6x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.2x 0.21x
$564,696
Median Home Value
$1,496
Median Rent
$100,028
Median Income

Rockaway, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Rockaway Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Rockaway New Jersey
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $14.15 $12.13
Bowling $25.03 $18
Haircut $29.17 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.36 $45.56

Detailed Rockaway Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Rockaway New Jersey
Ground Beef $5.64 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.55 $1.57
Milk $4.74 $4.67
Potatoes $5.21 $4.93
Pizza $11.49 $12.09
Beer $11.66 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Rockaway Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Rockaway New Jersey
Optometrist $105.11 $125.68
Doctor $117.94 $135.78
Dentist $121.22 $113.29

Detailed Rockaway Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Rockaway New Jersey
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $77.33 $59.92

Detailed Rockaway Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Rockaway New Jersey
All Electricity $230.68 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Rockaway SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
9
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rockaway

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

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

  • Dover, NJ has a cost of living index of 116, 0.9x Rockaway.

  • Florham Park, NJ has a cost of living index of 165, 1.3x Rockaway.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rockaway
Westfield, NJ 30,760 178 1.4x
Dover, NJ 18,420 116 0.9x
Florham Park, NJ 13,134 165 1.3x
Oakland, NJ 12,700 139 1.1x
Franklin Lakes, NJ 11,011 216 1.7x
Lincoln Park, NJ 10,901 124 1.0x
Succasunna, NJ 9,866 134 1.1x
Boonton, NJ 8,803 129 1.0x
White Meadow Lake, NJ 8,706 131 1.0x
Wharton, NJ 7,254 123 1.0x

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