City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Long Branch, NJ

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

32,184
Residents
$73,381
Median income
$519,000
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

Long Branch - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Long Branch lands in the 54th percentile for household income and the 35th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
86th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
35th
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: Long Branch, NJ

32,184 people live in Long Branch, New Jersey - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Long Branch brings in $73,381 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Long Branch's housing stock carries a median value of $519,000, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. About 34.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 59 residential building permits were authorized in Long Branch (Construction Slowdown), down 87% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1869.4 in FBI UCR data, near 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: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New Jersey at 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). 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. The average commute for Long Branch workers runs 28.6 minutes, with 56.0% driving alone and 8.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

32,184 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$73,381 /yr

Poverty 11.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Long Branch compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 86% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities
Safety 35% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just New Jersey and the picture shifts: Long Branch ranks #174 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 Long Branch'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.

54thIncome percentile
35thSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 35th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Long Branch's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Long Branch'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 34 Avg. percentile National median
Long Branch'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 Long Branch's home value compares nationally

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

$519,000 14th percentile more affordable than 14% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Long Branch $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 - Long Branch, NJ Long Branch, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Long Branch, 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 Long Branch, NJ median $73,381/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%
Long Branch, 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 Long Branch, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.3%

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

Population
32,184
Median Income
$73,381
Median Home Value
$519,000
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
61.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1869.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
241.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1627.8
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
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,000 residents31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents33,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 31,665 residents 33,321 residents ▲ +5.2%
Long Branch's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
59
housing units authorized
Single-Family
32
detached homes
Multifamily
27
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 460
2020 1,062
2021 671
2022 199
2023 61
2024 59

Permit volume decreased 87% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
28.6 minutes
Drive Alone
56.0%
Carpool
23.5%
Public Transit
4.8%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
8.3%
Other
5.0%

Based on 15,631 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 Long Branch 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

Garfield
32,502 people
Westfield
30,760 people
Princeton
30,451 people
Rahway
29,748 people
Englewood
29,342 people
Fair Lawn
35,153 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Long Branch's 32,184 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hutto, TX
32,188 people
Massillon, OH
32,177 people
Maryville, TN
32,196 people
Wheat Ridge, CO
32,158 people
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County), CA
32,215 people
O'Fallon, IL
32,139 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Long Branch's $73,381 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Tebbetts, MO
$73,381 median income
Toomsuba, MS
$73,380 median income
Brookings, OR
$73,384 median income
Dallas, GA
$73,387 median income
Albion, ID
$73,375 median income
Murphy, MO
$73,373 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Long Branch, 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 Long Branch, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 57.7% 13.5% 11.8% 12.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 23.1% White 57.7% Black or African American 13.5% Asian 2.1% American Indian 2.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 11.8% Two or more races 12.4% 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 Long Branch 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
Long Branch (this city) 32,184 $73,381
Garfield 32,502 $75,701
Westfield 30,760 $212,700
Princeton 30,451 $184,113
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Long Branch, NJ?

What is the population of Long Branch, NJ? +

The population of Long Branch, NJ stands at 32,184 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Long Branch, NJ? +

Median annual household income in Long Branch runs $73,381, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Long Branch? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Long Branch; 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 Long Branch, NJ safe? +

Long Branch has a total crime rate of 1869.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Long Branch, NJ? +

Long Branch's median home value sits at $519,000, 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.