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Jersey City's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Jersey City.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Jersey City. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Jersey City neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Jersey City hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Jersey City area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Downtown ranks way above the rest.
We examined 11 of Jersey City's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Jersey City's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Jersey City For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Jersey City for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Bergen-Lafayette looks to be the worst neighborhood in Jersey City.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Jersey City that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Jersey City.
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In New Jersey
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Jersey
- Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey
The 5 Worst Neighborhoods In Jersey City For 2022
Another neighborhood within a short ride from Liberty State Park, Bergen-Lafayette also lies adjacent to the Historic Downtown Jersey City. Sounds like a nice spot. Unfortunately, this close proximity to the center of town only serves to drive up real estate values.
With an anemic economy to start with, high housing costs push many of the locals out of the market. The combination of a weak economic base and an inflated cost of living make this the number 1 worst part of Jersey City for 2022.
Just look at the numbers. The median home price sits at $290,065. Meanwhile, the neighborhood's 21,386 residents face an unemployment rate of 9.6% and a median income of $42,353.
/10
Population: 21,386
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $290,065 (5th worst)
Median Income: $42,353 (worst)
More on Bergen-Lafayette: Data
Go to the top of the Statue of Liberty and turn toward New Jersey. There's a good chance you're looking at Greenville. It sits on a strip of land along Newark Bay, a short ride from Liberty State Park.
Not a bad spot, almost in the literal shadow of Lady Liberty. Still, the area winds up ranked the number 1 worst neighborhood in Jersey City for 2022. Why? The issue relates mostly to economics.
First, the job market is sluggish, with an unemployment rate of 7.8%. Second, the cost of living is high. The median home price stands at $242,197, compared to a median income of $45,289.
/10
Population: 47,654
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $242,197 (worst)
Median Income: $45,289 (3rd worst)
More on Greenville: Data
Journal Square got its name from a newspaper, the Jersey Journal. Think of it as a down-market Times Square. Except, in this case, the Journal actually moved to Secaucus in 2014.
Still, the area provides a local center of shopping and restaurants. This bolsters the economy, which supports an unemployment rate of 5.2% and a median income of $51,723. As has become common on this list already, though, the area also suffers a high cost of living. The median home value hovers at $282,588.
Located to the northeast of downtown, Journal Square serves as home to Hudson County Community College.
/10
Population: 27,965
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $282,588 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $51,723 (4th worst)
More on Journal Square: Data
Lincoln Park is an actual park. It sits just across the road from the Hackensack River and boasts a number of features, like a dog park, a tennis center, an attractive fountain, and a nearby golf course.
The park alone might make you want to move to the area. If you can afford it...but, then, that's the problem. Few locals can earn enough to get by in Lincoln Park. First off, jobs are scarce in the area, which sports an unemployment rate of 9.5%. Second, even the available jobs often can't keep up with real estate prices. The median income stands at $59,923, compared to a median home value of $283,967.
/10
Population: 1,175
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $283,967 (4th worst)
Median Income: $59,923 (7th worst)
More on Lincoln Park: Data
Situated east of downtown, McGinley Square houses a few local landmarks. It has Saint Peter's University, including the gorgeous architectural specimen of St Aedan's Church. Unfortunately, like a lot of the neighborhoods on this list, an unimpressive economy and a high cost of living erode the area's appeal. In the end, it winds up as the number 4 least attractive place in Jersey City for 2022.
You can see the trends spelled out in the statistics. McGinley Square has an unemployment rate of 5.8% and a median income of $43,778. At the same time, locals struggle to make their mortgages with a median home value of $269,981.
/10
Population: 19,496
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $269,981 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $43,778 (2nd worst)
More on Mcginley Square: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Jersey City neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Jersey City:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Jersey City, New Jersey for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Jersey City.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Jersey City to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 11 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Jersey City
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Jersey City with Bergen-Lafayette landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Jersey City aren't all bad. Downtown takes the cake as the best place to live in Jersey City.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Jersey City For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bergen-Lafayette | 21,386 |
| 2 | Greenville | 47,654 |
| 3 | Journal Square | 27,965 |
| 4 | Lincoln Park | 1,175 |
| 5 | Mcginley Square | 19,496 |
| 6 | West Side | 22,917 |
| 7 | Hackensack Riverfront | 4,139 |
| 8 | The Heights | 56,548 |
| 9 | Liberty Park | 447 |
| 10 | The Waterfront | 10,234 |
| 11 | Downtown | 31,125 |
