The 10 Worst Small Towns In New Jersey For 2022


Using science and data, we can tell you which teeny specks in New Jersey are the pits.

Sam Sparkes, RoadSnacks
April 7, 2022 - 4,171 views
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Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the worst small places to live in New Jersey.

Most Americans have never been to New Jersey. However, as the people who live there know, New Jersey is an awesome state.

But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, New Jersey has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Garden State. Don't shoot the messenger, this is all using data.

After analyzing more than 206 of New Jersey's smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in New Jersey where you'd never want to live:

So what is the worst small town to call home in New Jersey for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Egg Harbor City is the worst small town to live in New Jersey.

Of course, many of these cities would rank highly if they were in other states, since New Jersey has its stuff figured out.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in New Jersey or the worst places to live in New Jersey.

If you're looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In New Jersey For 2022

1. Egg Harbor City

Egg Harbor City, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 4,072
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $145,500 (17th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 11.2% (11th worst)
More on Egg Harbor City:  Data | Photos

2. Seabrook Farms

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,602
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 6)
Median Home Value: $119,200 (9th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 10.3% (19th worst)
More on Seabrook Farms:  Data

3. Port Norris

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,652
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $117,300 (8th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 9.4% (24th worst)
More on Port Norris:  Data

4. Salem

Salem, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,761
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $58,900 (2nd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 12.1% (7th worst)
More on Salem:  Data | Photos

5. Woodbine

Woodbine, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,352
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Median Home Value: $164,800 (25th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.7% (56th worst)
More on Woodbine:  Data | Photos

6. Penns Grove

Penns Grove, NJ

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 4,793
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $129,900 (13th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 18.2% (worst)
More on Penns Grove:  Data | Photos

7. Laurel Lake

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,661
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $108,700 (7th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.6% (42nd worst)
More on Laurel Lake:  Data

8. Oxford

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,285
Rank Last Year: 27 (Up 19)
Median Home Value: $166,800 (27th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.8% (53rd worst)
More on Oxford:  Data

9. Chesilhurst

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,440
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 4)
Median Home Value: $148,400 (19th worst)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (69th worst)
More on Chesilhurst:  Data

10. Cedar Glen Lakes

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,604
Rank Last Year: 19 (Up 9)
Median Home Value: $75,200 (3rd worst)
Unemployment Rate: 7.1% (46th worst)
More on Cedar Glen Lakes:  Data

How do you decide if a place is lousy or not?

In order to rank the worst small towns to live in New Jersey, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. It isn't a stretch to assume that people like low crime, solid education, things to do and a stable economy.

So we scraped the internet for those criteria, and it spit out the answer. Like magic.

How we determined the worst small towns to live in New Jersey for 2022

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using FBI crime data and the Census's 2016-2020 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (The lower the worse)
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low housing costs (meaning there's no demand)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
  • Education (Number of high school dropouts)
  • High Crime

We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which, there were a lot - 206 to be exact.

Additional note: We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets its crime numbers from the cities themselves. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased.

There You Have It - The Worst Small Towns In New Jersey

If you're analyzing teeny places in the Garden State with the worst economic situations, where there's high crime and there's not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

If you're curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in New Jersey, according to science:

  1. Ho-Ho-Kus (Pop. 4,096)
  2. Cranbury (Pop. 2,213)
  3. Plainsboro Center (Pop. 2,715)

For more New Jersey reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Worst Small Towns In New Jersey

Rank Town Population Unemployment Rate Home Value
1 Egg Harbor City 4,072 11.2% $145,500
2 Seabrook Farms 1,602 10.3% $119,200
3 Port Norris 1,652 9.4% $117,300
4 Salem 4,761 12.1% $58,900
5 Woodbine 2,352 6.7% $164,800
6 Penns Grove 4,793 18.2% $129,900
7 Laurel Lake 2,661 7.6% $108,700
8 Oxford 1,285 6.8% $166,800
9 Chesilhurst 1,440 6.3% $148,400
10 Cedar Glen Lakes 1,604 7.1% $75,200
11 Voorhees 1,686 14.2% $286,400
12 Whitesboro 2,588 6.0% $183,600
13 Woodlynne 2,911 6.7% $87,100
14 Buena 4,323 10.5% $188,500
15 Rio Grande 2,759 16.3% $279,400
16 Leisure Village 4,714 7.6% $107,700
17 Holiday Heights 1,924 8.3% $205,300
18 Wildwood 4,985 10.8% $253,900
19 Leisure Village East 3,744 16.0% $172,300
20 Sussex 1,836 6.9% $205,600
21 Rosenhayn 1,321 4.0% $182,600
22 Victory Gardens 1,604 6.4% $172,800
23 Silver Lake Cdp (Essex County) 3,970 11.1% $312,700
24 Lawnside 2,883 9.2% $175,900
25 Cedar Glen West 1,804 2.9% $46,200
26 Cape May Court House 4,776 4.9% $248,900
27 Blackwood 4,660 8.0% $179,700
28 Victory Lakes 1,813 5.2% $168,600
29 South Toms River 3,676 9.7% $193,900
30 National Park 2,964 8.4% $145,700
31 Westville 4,171 6.5% $153,500
32 Beverly 2,425 9.6% $155,400
33 Brooklawn 1,888 6.3% $120,400
34 Pine Ridge At Crestwood 2,611 9.3% $103,900
35 Ellisburg 4,722 11.0% $234,000
36 Magnolia 4,280 9.1% $160,100
37 Vernon Center 1,462 0.3% $123,600
38 Elwood 1,226 5.3% $143,900
39 Clementon 4,939 1.3% $133,800
40 Belvidere 2,573 9.8% $217,100
41 Lakehurst 2,707 6.2% $190,600
42 Franklin 4,737 6.3% $188,000
43 North Wildwood 3,794 12.6% $347,600
44 Hampton 1,182 4.8% $264,600
45 Seaside Heights 2,917 4.6% $286,700
46 Ocean Gate 1,488 6.0% $256,500
47 East Newark 2,634 4.3% $317,300
48 Manahawkin 1,957 3.8% $317,000
49 Holiday City South 3,976 1.7% $176,400
50 Flemington 4,601 4.4% $302,100
51 Gibbsboro 2,238 6.0% $217,000
52 Oak Valley 4,018 5.6% $169,500
53 Farmingdale 1,307 11.4% $298,500
54 Pemberton 1,494 4.9% $246,200
55 Collings Lakes 1,525 5.7% $143,100
56 Pemberton Heights 2,640 0.4% $180,900
57 North Cape May 3,749 7.0% $239,200
58 Swedesboro 2,583 3.9% $200,100
59 Gibbstown 3,493 5.7% $181,500
60 Folsom 1,610 6.8% $185,400
61 Ogdensburg 2,164 10.7% $224,100
62 Presidential Lakes Estates 1,730 17.3% $211,600
63 Concordia 2,520 7.4% $197,300
64 New Egypt 2,187 5.8% $284,500
65 Brass Castle 1,629 9.0% $248,000
66 Upper Pohatcong 1,774 5.3% $192,800
67 Moonachie 2,714 2.7% $359,100
68 Branchville 1,054 6.6% $263,500
69 Alpha 2,141 3.5% $197,400
70 Florence 4,455 5.4% $219,900
71 Leisuretowne 3,270 6.6% $169,300
72 Netcong 3,167 2.6% $269,300
73 Beattystown 4,550 5.5% $351,800
74 Glendora 4,858 8.6% $170,300
75 Mount Ephraim 4,591 8.2% $166,600
76 Rossmoor 2,700 6.6% $123,400
77 Tuckerton 3,373 5.5% $236,800
78 Leisure Knoll 2,580 4.2% $193,400
79 High Bridge 3,460 4.3% $261,000
80 South Bound Brook 4,541 8.4% $273,100
81 Groveville 2,953 12.0% $314,900
82 Golden Triangle 4,302 0.4% $243,100
83 Merchantville 3,702 3.1% $218,300
84 Elmer 1,333 3.3% $187,100
85 Hi-Nella 1,018 2.3% $169,700
86 Englis 1,999 9.0% $341,000
87 Silver Ridge 1,101 0.0% $168,500
88 Glen Gardner 1,554 4.5% $235,900
89 Leisure Village West 3,767 3.2% $150,400
90 Lake Como 1,655 5.8% $441,400
91 Waretown 2,514 4.7% $351,400
92 Dover Beaches North 1,968 6.6% $573,100
93 Newfield 1,502 3.5% $192,000
94 Brownville 2,412 7.2% $280,500
95 Byram Center 2,017 6.6% $279,000
96 Oaklyn 3,961 5.6% $188,100
97 Erma 2,036 10.4% $287,800
98 Belford 2,049 6.9% $382,900
99 Hamburg 3,149 4.4% $194,500
100 Wildwood Crest 3,073 11.4% $391,600
Download The Entire New Jersey Ranking Data

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