City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

South Amboy, NJ

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

9,714
Residents
$110,125
Median income
$365,000
Median home
$2,486
Median rent (state)

South Amboy - the verdict

Nationally, South Amboy sits in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 45th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
74th
percentile, home value
91st
percentile, median rent
45th
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: South Amboy, NJ

New Jersey's South Amboy is a small town, with 9,714 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $110,125 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Home values in South Amboy run a median of $365,000, and the median resident age is 42.3 years. 30.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 7 residential building permits were authorized in South Amboy (Construction Slowdown), down 61% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. South Amboy reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1530.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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 $2,486 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Jersey run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

9,714 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$110,125 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does South Amboy compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 74% pricier than other cities
Median rent 91% pricier than other cities
Safety 45% 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, South Amboy ranks #160 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 South Amboy'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.

83rdIncome percentile
45thSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 45th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Amboy's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South Amboy'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
South Amboy'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 South Amboy's home value compares nationally

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

$365,000 26th percentile more affordable than 26% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. South Amboy $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 - South Amboy, NJ South Amboy, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South Amboy, 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 South Amboy, NJ median $110,125/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%
South Amboy, 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 South Amboy, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.9%

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

Population
9,714
Median Income
$110,125
Median Home Value
$365,000
Median Age
42.3
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
66.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1530.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
139.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1391.3
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 →
9,000 residents9,500 residents10,000 residents10,500 residents11,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,337 residents 10,403 residents ▲ +11.4%
South Amboy's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 18
2020 467
2021 249
2022 176
2023 1
2024 7

Permit volume decreased 61% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.2%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
8.8%
Walk
0.5%
Work from Home
10.3%
Other
0.8%

Based on 5,390 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 South Amboy sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,486/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

Keansburg
9,729 people
Matawan
9,636 people
Succasunna
9,866 people
Browns Mills
9,561 people
Villas
9,897 people
Burlington
9,904 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Amboy's 9,714 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Beverly Hills, FL
9,716 people
New Square, NY
9,712 people
Hartland, WI
9,716 people
Sandy Hook, CT
9,718 people
Lambertville, MI
9,708 people
Sauk Village, IL
9,724 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Amboy's $110,125 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Crab Orchard, IL
$110,125 median income
Milford city (balance), CT
$110,126 median income
Riviera Beach, MD
$110,136 median income
Jordan, MN
$110,139 median income
Greenville, WI
$110,103 median income
Westlake, OH
$110,101 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South Amboy, 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 South Amboy, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 65.3% 10.7% 8.4% 10.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.5% White 65.3% Black or African American 10.7% Asian 4.9% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.4% Two or more races 10.6% 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 South Amboy 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
South Amboy (this city) 9,714 $110,125
Keansburg 9,729 $87,484
Matawan 9,636 $122,026
Succasunna 9,866 $164,555
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Amboy, NJ?

What is the population of South Amboy, NJ? +

9,714 people live in South Amboy, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in South Amboy, NJ? +

In South Amboy, the typical household earns $110,125 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Amboy? +

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

South Amboy has a total crime rate of 1530.4 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 South Amboy, NJ? +

South Amboy's median home value sits at $365,000, 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.