The 10 Most Miserable Cities In New Jersey For 2023


The most miserable cities in New Jersey are Fort Dix and Dayton for 2023 based on Saturday Night Science.

Do you live in one of the most miserable places in New Jersey?

Only a third of New Jerseyans say they are truly happy. That’s too bad, considering that folks in New Jersey don’t really have it too bad in the grand scheme of things.

But, we were curious – which New Jersey cities might be the most miserable? We’re about to find out, using Saturday Night Science and data.

After analyzing the 264 largest cities, we sadly present the most miserable cities in the Garden State.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 10 Most Miserable Places In New Jersey

  1. Fort Dix
  2. Dayton
  3. Camden
  4. Plainfield
  5. Newark
  6. Roselle
  7. Bridgeton
  8. McGuire AFB
  9. Avenel
  10. Dover

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and how your town ranked. If you have a smile on your face, you probably don’t live in one of these cities.

Oh, and by the way, Ocean City is the happiest place in New Jersey.

For more New Jersey reading, check out:

The 10 Most Miserable Places In New Jersey For 2023

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 7,904
Poverty Level: 5.5%
Median Home Price $0
Married Households 3.0%
Households With Kids 59.93%
More on Fort Dix: Data | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 8,185
Poverty Level: 1.3%
Median Home Price $408,900
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 49.19%
More on Dayton: Data | Cost Of Living

Camden, NJ

Source: Wikipedia User Yann | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 72,381
Poverty Level: 33.6%
Median Home Price $85,800
Married Households 6.0%
Households With Kids 40.59%
More on Camden: Data | Cost Of Living

Plainfield, NJ

Source: Wikipedia User Dreamyunicorn123 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 54,183
Poverty Level: 17.1%
Median Home Price $287,300
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 42.39%
More on Plainfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Newark, NJ

Source: Wikipedia User Jamaalcobbs at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 306,247
Poverty Level: 25.8%
Median Home Price $271,700
Married Households 6.0%
Households With Kids 33.93%
More on Newark: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Roselle, NJ

Source: Flickr User jerm1386 | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 22,511
Poverty Level: 8.2%
Median Home Price $249,700
Married Households 11.0%
Households With Kids 33.25%
More on Roselle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Bridgeton, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 26,643
Poverty Level: 35.1%
Median Home Price $109,800
Married Households 9.0%
Households With Kids 44.8%
More on Bridgeton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 5,216
Poverty Level: 1.0%
Median Home Price $0
Married Households 5.0%
Households With Kids 65.71%
More on Mcguire Afb: Data | Cost Of Living

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 17,132
Poverty Level: 11.6%
Median Home Price $288,100
Married Households 12.0%
Households With Kids 40.53%
More on Avenel: Data | Cost Of Living

Dover, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 18,418
Poverty Level: 12.4%
Median Home Price $275,400
Married Households 7.0%
Households With Kids 44.35%
More on Dover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Methodology: How We Measured The Most Miserable Cities In The Garden State

To rank the unhappiest places in New Jersey, we had to determine what criteria make people happy. It isn’t a stretch to assume that happy people earn great salaries, are relatively stress-free, and have a stable home life.

So we went to the Census’s American Community Survey 2017-2021 report for the happy criteria, flipped the list with Saturday Night Science, and it spit out the answer.

Like magic.

Here are the criteria we used to measure misery:

  • Percentage of residents with a college degree
  • Average commute times
  • Unemployment rates
  • Cost of living
  • % of married couples
  • % of families with kids
  • Poverty rate

After we decided on the criteria, we gathered the data for the 264 places in New Jersey with over 5,000 people.

We then ranked each place from one to 264 for each of the seven criteria, with a score of one being the most miserable (Any ties were given to the larger place).

Next, we averaged the seven rankings into a Miserable Index for each place with the lowest overall Miserable Index “earning” the title “Most Miserable City In New Jersey.”

If you’d like to see the complete list of states, most miserable to happiest, scroll to the bottom of this post to see the unabridged chart.

We updated this article for 2023, and it’s our tenth time ranking the most miserable cities in New Jersey.

There You Have It – The Least Happy Cities In New Jersey

As we said earlier, trying to determine the most miserable cities in New Jersey is usually a subjective matter.

But if you’re analyzing cities where people are not stable, where you’re stuck in traffic, and no one spent the time to go to college, then this is an accurate list.

If you’re curious enough, here are the happiest cities in New Jersey, according to science:

  1. Ocean City
  2. Florham Park
  3. Morristown

For more New Jersey reading, check out:

Miserable Cities In New Jersey For 2023

Rank City Population Poverty Level Median Home Value % Married % Kids
1 Fort Dix, NJ 7,904 5.5% $0 3.0% 59.93%
2 Dayton, NJ 8,185 1.3% $408,900 9.0% 49.19%
3 Camden, NJ 72,381 33.6% $85,800 6.0% 40.59%
4 Plainfield, NJ 54,183 17.1% $287,300 9.0% 42.39%
5 Newark, NJ 306,247 25.8% $271,700 6.0% 33.93%
6 Roselle, NJ 22,511 8.2% $249,700 11.0% 33.25%
7 Bridgeton, NJ 26,643 35.1% $109,800 9.0% 44.8%
8 Mcguire Afb, NJ 5,216 1.0% $0 5.0% 65.71%
9 Avenel, NJ 17,132 11.6% $288,100 12.0% 40.53%
10 Dover, NJ 18,418 12.4% $275,400 7.0% 44.35%
11 East Orange, NJ 68,918 18.0% $244,100 8.0% 29.57%
12 Clayton, NJ 8,818 9.2% $208,400 20.0% 34.39%
13 Salem, NJ 5,237 37.8% $59,100 16.0% 39.11%
14 Perth Amboy, NJ 55,046 20.8% $282,600 6.0% 41.37%
15 Passaic, NJ 70,308 25.3% $347,900 5.0% 49.12%
16 Paterson, NJ 157,927 25.1% $269,200 5.0% 44.74%
17 Carteret, NJ 25,077 8.6% $284,200 13.0% 38.96%
18 Pleasantville, NJ 20,505 24.5% $134,900 9.0% 35.51%
19 Union City, NJ 67,903 20.0% $382,200 3.0% 35.52%
20 Linden, NJ 43,387 7.7% $307,200 14.0% 31.84%
21 Burlington, NJ 9,800 14.6% $170,600 19.0% 35.27%
22 North Plainfield, NJ 22,635 12.0% $285,000 11.0% 30.27%
23 Bergenfield, NJ 28,282 5.8% $386,900 9.0% 37.6%
24 Mays Landing, NJ 6,555 4.9% $219,600 18.0% 27.6%
25 Trenton, NJ 90,097 27.7% $96,700 9.0% 31.15%
26 Lincroft, NJ 6,812 2.4% $591,100 20.0% 39.9%
27 Holiday City-Berkeley, NJ 12,889 8.7% $183,000 25.0% 0.44%
28 Laurence Harbor, NJ 6,292 2.6% $271,800 29.0% 26.02%
29 Robertsville, NJ 12,365 2.1% $544,100 13.0% 44.55%
30 Ellisburg, NJ 5,093 11.7% $247,500 9.0% 30.57%
31 Woodbridge, NJ 21,314 3.7% $305,400 22.0% 41.43%
32 Guttenberg, NJ 11,833 14.8% $316,100 5.0% 28.99%
33 Yorketown, NJ 7,316 2.2% $457,700 16.0% 44.35%
34 Prospect Park, NJ 6,301 17.9% $296,100 11.0% 45.91%
35 West New York, NJ 52,485 19.9% $363,800 3.0% 31.39%
36 New Brunswick, NJ 55,671 35.3% $265,700 5.0% 36.97%
37 Browns Mills, NJ 10,053 12.2% $165,600 16.0% 28.22%
38 Elizabeth, NJ 135,772 14.7% $314,500 6.0% 41.7%
39 Atlantic City, NJ 38,481 37.0% $150,900 7.0% 29.49%
40 Franklin Park, NJ 13,686 7.7% $279,000 11.0% 31.57%
41 Princeton Meadows, NJ 15,491 3.6% $547,200 7.0% 42.78%
42 Tenafly, NJ 15,307 4.1% $858,900 10.0% 52.92%
43 Ridgefield Park, NJ 13,202 10.3% $388,600 10.0% 37.42%
44 Upper Montclair, NJ 12,033 1.9% $797,400 15.0% 45.47%
45 Rahway, NJ 29,582 8.5% $293,300 16.0% 29.75%
46 Old Bridge, NJ 28,252 4.9% $377,400 17.0% 29.02%
47 Pine Hill, NJ 10,637 12.9% $144,100 18.0% 28.1%
48 Glen Ridge, NJ 7,764 1.3% $674,800 21.0% 49.9%
49 East Franklin, NJ 8,375 12.5% $280,200 5.0% 38.02%
50 Spotswood, NJ 8,163 2.9% $317,700 29.0% 27.72%
51 Sayreville, NJ 45,062 5.3% $334,600 15.0% 31.58%
52 Haledon, NJ 8,936 7.3% $303,600 12.0% 38.54%
53 Berlin, NJ 7,484 2.2% $246,500 20.0% 33.73%
54 Hackett, NJ 10,221 8.4% $290,100 23.0% 36.68%
55 Kearny, NJ 41,790 10.2% $359,800 10.0% 35.01%
56 Glen Rock, NJ 12,098 1.5% $695,300 19.0% 52.37%
57 Madison Park, NJ 8,014 13.6% $320,400 12.0% 37.24%
58 Chatham, NJ 9,208 1.1% $827,900 23.0% 47.88%
59 South River, NJ 16,087 12.4% $322,200 21.0% 33.95%
60 Williamstown, NJ 14,947 6.1% $204,300 27.0% 33.28%
61 Palmyra, NJ 7,429 8.3% $175,400 12.0% 23.59%
62 Union Beach, NJ 5,781 2.8% $310,200 23.0% 28.69%
63 Wharton, NJ 7,175 14.4% $307,200 10.0% 35.49%
64 Ocean Acres, NJ 17,886 2.4% $282,800 36.0% 37.47%
65 Twin Rivers, NJ 8,049 3.3% $235,000 13.0% 35.12%
66 Englewood Cliffs, NJ 5,358 2.4% $1,159,200 13.0% 36.38%
67 Woodcliff Lake, NJ 6,112 2.6% $845,900 18.0% 41.27%
68 Ramblewood, NJ 6,340 2.7% $306,500 19.0% 34.26%
69 Woodbury, NJ 10,067 14.8% $165,300 17.0% 28.97%
70 Jamesburg, NJ 5,784 6.1% $285,900 22.0% 34.09%
71 Iselin, NJ 17,684 4.8% $328,400 12.0% 33.35%
72 Glendora, NJ 5,511 6.4% $171,900 26.0% 26.22%
73 Belle Mead, NJ 5,754 3.7% $586,000 10.0% 64.24%
74 Bayonne, NJ 70,553 11.1% $359,800 16.0% 32.57%
75 Bogota, NJ 8,830 3.9% $349,600 13.0% 32.37%
76 Lincoln Park, NJ 10,877 1.5% $353,500 24.0% 26.79%
77 Stratford, NJ 6,967 10.3% $184,700 19.0% 29.02%
78 Ridgefield, NJ 11,477 4.3% $457,300 10.0% 33.85%
79 Fords, NJ 12,897 4.2% $327,800 19.0% 33.82%
80 Washington, NJ 7,172 9.0% $184,400 26.0% 29.12%
81 Paulsboro, NJ 6,234 9.9% $135,900 19.0% 20.52%
82 Somerdale, NJ 5,476 14.2% $183,300 24.0% 32.32%
83 Crestwood Village, NJ 8,414 11.5% $69,600 18.0% 0.65%
84 Budd Lake, NJ 9,971 7.6% $364,200 23.0% 47.19%
85 Ringwood, NJ 11,778 1.9% $370,900 28.0% 31.83%
86 Summit, NJ 22,598 6.3% $852,300 13.0% 42.82%
87 Kenilworth, NJ 8,377 8.3% $384,700 23.0% 36.48%
88 South Plainfield, NJ 24,251 3.3% $362,200 26.0% 37.23%
89 Gloucester City, NJ 11,438 11.2% $140,400 30.0% 35.37%
90 Pomona, NJ 8,340 8.3% $196,700 18.0% 44.0%
91 Leisure Village, NJ 6,001 24.3% $111,100 14.0% 8.32%
92 Pitman, NJ 8,812 4.3% $195,100 30.0% 27.42%
93 Hammonton, NJ 14,695 10.7% $258,300 23.0% 30.55%
94 Lodi, NJ 25,983 10.8% $393,500 11.0% 34.68%
95 Fairview, NJ 14,918 14.9% $429,600 4.0% 18.21%
96 Fanwood, NJ 7,727 2.0% $498,400 24.0% 38.13%
97 Ramtown, NJ 6,540 0.7% $368,300 32.0% 42.13%
98 Phillipsburg, NJ 15,146 16.6% $149,600 20.0% 27.97%
99 New Milford, NJ 16,912 4.9% $442,000 15.0% 35.72%
100 Pine Lake Park, NJ 9,148 3.3% $281,100 35.0% 39.67%
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

4 thoughts on “The 10 Most Miserable Cities In New Jersey For 2023

  1. I moved to Plainfield when I was two and lived in a big Victorian house w/ my 4 siblings, maternal grandmother, and parents. My parents had marital problems, etc. Lived there until age seven. A hard but happy family life. It was the best, most memorable place I lived in, and I’ve moved a lot. We knew all our neighbors. Plainfield used to be a “grand” place to live, including the downtown district. My paternal grandparents lived there a while also. Wonderful memories too numerous to go into…a shame about the deterioration, crime, etc. That’s partly why we had to move (to North Plainfield)! 🙂

  2. The deterioration of these most vibrant cities is a shame. Over the past decades their downfall was evident as lower income people became the majority within their confines. The government assisted this movement with outreach programs to these groups.

    Clinton talks of helping the Low income people if elected. How convenient to create the problem then offer to repair it.

  3. Keansburg- where even the babies have tattoos. Not in agreement re Bayonne, though. It still has some restaurants that attract people from other towns. That should have been a criteria; does this town have a restaurant ( or any other attraction) that people from other towns would go to?

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