Jersey City, NJ vs Oakland, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Jersey City

66.9

#1486 nationally

vs

Oakland

62

#1880 nationally

Jersey City leads in cost of living index (128 vs 155). Jersey City leads in school rating (5.8 vs 4.8). Jersey City leads in walk score (86 vs 73).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Jersey City, NJ Oakland, CA
WhereAtHome Score 66.9 (#1486) 62 (#1880)
Population 292,449 433,823
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $670,166 $717,798
Median Household Income $87,961 $85,459
Average Commute 35.8 min 32.1 min
Walk Score 86 73
Crime Level Moderate High
School Rating 5.8 4.8
Cost of Living Index 128 155
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+28.1 D+53.6