City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Emerson, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Emerson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,263
Residents
$153,963
Median income
$626,000
Median home
$2,324
Median rent (state)

Emerson - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Emerson lands in the 95th percentile for household income and the 98th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

95th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
98th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Emerson, NJ

7,263 people live in Emerson, New Jersey - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $153,963 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.0%. Typical homes in Emerson are valued around $626,000, and the median resident age is 47.9 years. About 55.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 2 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier. Emerson reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 94.6 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,324 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

7,263 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$153,963 /yr

Poverty 1.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Emerson compare to other US cities?

Emerson measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 95% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 98% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to New Jersey alone, Emerson ranks #3 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Emerson's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Jersey, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

95thIncome percentile
98thSafety percentile

95th percentile nationally for median household income · 98th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Emerson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Emerson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 68 Avg. percentile National median
Emerson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Emerson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$626,000 10th percentile more affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Emerson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Emerson, NJ Emerson, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Emerson, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Emerson, NJ median $153,963/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Emerson, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Emerson, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 55.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,263
Median Income
$153,963
Median Home Value
$626,000
Median Age
47.9
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Labor force participation
62.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
55.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
94.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
94.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,200 residents7,250 residents7,300 residents7,350 residents7,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,268 residents 7,371 residents ▲ +1.4%
Emerson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 2
2021 0
2022 11
2023 2
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.5%
Carpool
4.2%
Public Transit
6.7%
Walk
3.7%
Work from Home
16.1%
Other
0.8%

Based on 3,707 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Emerson sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,324/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Rumson
7,265 people
Yorketown
7,265 people
Wharton
7,254 people
Washington
7,287 people
Keyport
7,159 people
Palmyra
7,447 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Emerson's 7,263 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Makawao, HI
7,263 people
Scotia, NY
7,260 people
Bridge, LA
7,258 people
Clewiston, FL
7,257 people
St. Rose, LA
7,271 people
Marble Falls, TX
7,255 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Emerson's $153,963 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Damascus, MD
$153,994 median income
St. Paul, MO
$154,022 median income
Daufuskie Island, SC
$153,821 median income
Redstone, CO
$154,107 median income
Issaquah, WA
$153,786 median income
Brown Station, MD
$153,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Emerson, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Emerson, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.7% 11.4% 6.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.6% White 79.7% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 11.4% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 6.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Emerson compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Emerson (this city) 7,263 $153,963
Rumson 7,265 $250,001
Yorketown 7,265 $163,375
Wharton 7,254 $92,548
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Emerson, NJ?

What is the population of Emerson, NJ? +

Emerson, NJ has a population of 7,263 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Emerson, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Emerson runs $153,963, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Emerson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Emerson; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Emerson, NJ safe? +

Emerson has a total crime rate of 94.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Emerson, NJ? +

The median home value in Emerson is $626,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.