City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Wildwood Crest, NJ

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

3,094
Residents
$82,143
Median income
$526,600
Median home
$1,792
Median rent (state)

Wildwood Crest - the verdict

Nationally, Wildwood Crest sits in the 64th percentile for household income and the 32nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

64th
percentile, household income
86th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
32nd
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: Wildwood Crest, NJ

3,094 people live in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Wildwood Crest households earn a median of $82,143 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Home values in Wildwood Crest run a median of $526,600, and the median resident age is 61.0 years. Educational attainment runs 45.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 47.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 52 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 22% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1998.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,792 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 91.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

3,094 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$82,143 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Wildwood Crest compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 86% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 32% 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: Wildwood Crest ranks #184 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 Wildwood Crest'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.

64thIncome percentile
32ndSafety percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income · 32nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wildwood Crest's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wildwood Crest'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Wildwood Crest'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 Wildwood Crest's home value compares nationally

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

$526,600 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%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Wildwood Crest $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 - Wildwood Crest, NJ Wildwood Crest, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wildwood Crest, 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 Wildwood Crest, NJ median $82,143/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%
Wildwood Crest, 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 Wildwood Crest, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.9%

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

Population
3,094
Median Income
$82,143
Median Home Value
$526,600
Median Age
61.0
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
47.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1998.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
294.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1703.8
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
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,950 residents3,000 residents3,050 residents3,100 residents3,150 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,095 residents 3,000 residents ▼ -3.1%
Wildwood Crest's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
52
housing units authorized
Single-Family
43
detached homes
Multifamily
9
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
16.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 67
2020 49
2021 88
2022 48
2023 105
2024 52

Permit volume decreased 22% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
50.9%
Carpool
19.2%
Public Transit
1.8%
Walk
9.8%
Work from Home
15.2%
Other
3.1%

Based on 1,358 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 Wildwood Crest sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,792/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Moonachie
3,106 people
Mount Hope
3,082 people
North Middletown
3,081 people
Woodbury Heights
3,116 people
Turnersville
3,071 people
Sewell
3,065 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wildwood Crest's 3,094 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bon Secour, AL
3,094 people
McSherrystown, PA
3,094 people
El Cerro, NM
3,093 people
Saluda, SC
3,095 people
Parowan, UT
3,095 people
Cloverdale, VA
3,095 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wildwood Crest's $82,143 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kingston, RI
$82,143 median income
Rarity Bay, TN
$82,143 median income
Fayetteville, GA
$82,144 median income
Federal Way, WA
$82,144 median income
Benbrook, TX
$82,148 median income
Cutler Bay, FL
$82,155 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wildwood Crest, 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 Wildwood Crest, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.9% 7.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.7% White 90.9% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 7.8% 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 Wildwood Crest 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
Wildwood Crest (this city) 3,094 $82,143
Moonachie 3,106 $108,359
Mount Hope 3,082 $87,927
North Middletown 3,081 $146,650
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wildwood Crest, NJ?

What is the population of Wildwood Crest, NJ? +

3,094 people live in Wildwood Crest, NJ according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wildwood Crest, NJ? +

The median household income in Wildwood Crest is $82,143 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wildwood Crest? +

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

Wildwood Crest has a total crime rate of 1998.7 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 Wildwood Crest, NJ? +

The median home value in Wildwood Crest is $526,600, 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.