Bayonne and Kearny receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Bayonne
Kearny
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Schools
37 · Bottom 32%
vs34 · Bottom 28%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Bayonne | Kearny | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,553 | 40,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,887 | $79,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,565 | $36,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 12,292/sq mi | 4,592/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $460,100 | $459,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,682 | $1,720 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.2% | 42.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.6% | 30.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 97 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -31.7% | 74.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 35.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.39 | 11.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.2% | 9.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.6% | 34.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.1% | 70.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bayonne
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, coastal flooding.
Kearny
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Bayonne, NJ · Kearny, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology