City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Lakewood, NJ

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

69,884
Residents
$57,576
Median income
$618,400
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

Lakewood - the verdict

Nationally, Lakewood sits in the 31st percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

31st
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Lakewood, NJ

Lakewood is a small city in New Jersey, home to 69,884 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lakewood households earn a median of $57,576 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 25.3%. Typical homes in Lakewood are valued around $618,400, and the median resident age is 17.3 years. 31.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 49.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 9 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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 $2,328 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Lakewood report an average commute of 18.0 minutes, with 63.1% driving alone and 14.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

69,884 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$57,576 /yr

Poverty 25.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Lakewood compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lakewood stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities

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

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 Lakewood'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.

31stIncome percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lakewood's home value compares nationally

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

$618,400 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%). This entry sits in this band. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Lakewood $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 - Lakewood, NJ Lakewood, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, NJ median $57,576/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%
Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 25.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.3%

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

Population
69,884
Median Income
$57,576
Median Home Value
$618,400
Median Age
17.3
Poverty Rate
25.3%
Labor force participation
49.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.0 minutes
Drive Alone
63.1%
Carpool
13.3%
Public Transit
2.2%
Walk
5.2%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
1.4%

Based on 17,559 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 Lakewood sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,328/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Passaic
69,651 people
Bayonne
70,468 people
East Orange
69,183 people
Camden
71,471 people
Union City
66,375 people
Vineland
60,692 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lakewood's 69,884 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Des Moines, IA
69,893 people
St. Cloud, MN
69,926 people
Redondo Beach, CA
69,814 people
Walnut Creek, CA
69,790 people
Tulare, CA
69,984 people
Guaynabo zona urbana, PR
70,087 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lakewood's $57,576 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hermann, MO
$57,578 median income
Lebanon, VA
$57,578 median income
Navassa, NC
$57,571 median income
Keefton, OK
$57,582 median income
Fortuna Foothills, AZ
$57,583 median income
Rushville, IL
$57,589 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.3% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.9% White 85.3% Black or African American 1.7% Asian 0.7% American Indian 1.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.6% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Lakewood 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
Lakewood (this city) 69,884 $57,576
Passaic 69,651 $56,780
Bayonne 70,468 $81,285
East Orange 69,183 $59,872
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lakewood, NJ?

What is the population of Lakewood, NJ? +

69,884 people live in Lakewood, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Lakewood households earn a median of $57,576 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lakewood? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lakewood; 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.

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

Lakewood's median home value sits at $618,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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.