Jersey City, NJ Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Jersey City Crime

Is Jersey City safe in 2026?

Jersey City earns an overall crime grade of D+ at the city-wide level, but that headline number tells only part of the story. When researchers analyzed nine distinct neighborhoods, 78% of them — seven out of nine — scored a B or higher, and the city-wide neighborhood safety rating averages out to a moderate C. Affluent, walkable neighborhoods like Paulus Hook (B+) and Hamilton Park (B+) post the strongest safety marks, while only 11% of analyzed neighborhoods — specifically Boyle Plaza (D+) and Powerhouse Arts District (C-) — fall into the higher-concern tiers. In short, safety in Jersey City varies sharply by neighborhood, and residents who choose their location carefully are likely to land in one of the many B-grade communities.

What is the crime rate in Jersey City, NJ?

Rather than a single city-wide number, Jersey City's crime picture is best understood through its neighborhood grade distribution. Of the nine neighborhoods analyzed: zero earned an A, seven (77.8%) earned a B (ranging from B- to B+), one (11.1%) earned a C- (Powerhouse Arts District), and one (11.1%) earned a D+ (Boyle Plaza). No neighborhood received an F. Property crimes — including burglary and auto theft — represent the most common incident types across the city, while violent crimes, though less frequent, remain a priority for the Jersey City Police Department. The combined share of neighborhoods graded D or F sits at just 11%, meaning the vast majority of the city's analyzed areas maintain at least a moderate safety profile.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Jersey City?

Based on 2026 crime map data, the five safest neighborhoods in Jersey City are:

1. Paulus Hook — B+: Home to roughly 4,482 residents with a median household income of $171,286, this waterfront enclave consistently ranks among the city's safest areas.
2. Hamilton Park — B+: With a population of 3,576 and a median income of $122,233, Hamilton Park combines historic brownstones with strong safety metrics.
3. The Village — B: A community of 4,724 residents and a median income of $98,161, The Village earns a solid B grade.
4. Newport — B: Despite a relatively small population of 3,130, Newport's median income of $171,984 and B grade make it a top-tier choice.
5. Exchange Place — B: The highest-income neighborhood on this list at $212,951 median household income, Exchange Place (pop. 3,543) also earns a B safety grade.

Van Vorst Park (B-) and Harsimus (B-) round out the safer end of the spectrum, each serving populations above 5,000 residents.

Which neighborhoods in Jersey City have the most crime?

The two neighborhoods with the highest relative crime concern in Jersey City are Boyle Plaza, graded D+, and Powerhouse Arts District, graded C-. Boyle Plaza is the smallest of the analyzed neighborhoods at just 1,366 residents and carries the lowest median household income on the list at $57,435 — roughly one-quarter of Exchange Place's median. The Powerhouse Arts District, with 3,771 residents and a median income of $119,852, sits in a transitional zone between the higher-crime and moderate-safety tiers. Together, these two neighborhoods account for the 11% of analyzed areas that fall into the D or C- range. If you are evaluating these areas, consulting the live crime map for block-level incident data is strongly recommended.

Is Jersey City a good place to live?

Jersey City presents a mixed but largely positive picture for prospective residents. The city's median household income of $76,444 and median home value of $414,548 reflect a competitive, high-demand housing market driven in part by its proximity to Manhattan. The unemployment rate of 5.3% and a poverty rate of 15.7% indicate economic diversity across its 262,652 residents, who are packed into a dense 6,878 people per square mile. On the safety front, 78% of analyzed neighborhoods grade B or better, with standout communities like Paulus Hook, Hamilton Park, and Newport offering strong safety grades alongside high median incomes. Median rent of $1,485 is lower than Manhattan but rising, reflecting ongoing demand. For most residents who do their neighborhood research, Jersey City offers an urban lifestyle with strong transit access, cultural diversity, and a majority of communities that score well on safety metrics.

How does Jersey City's safety compare across its neighborhoods?

The gap between Jersey City's safest and least-safe neighborhoods is significant. At the top, Paulus Hook and Hamilton Park (both B+) serve high-income populations — $171,286 and $122,233 median household income, respectively — and post the city's best safety grades. At the other end, Boyle Plaza (D+) has a median income of just $57,435, less than one-third of Exchange Place's $212,951, and earns the city's lowest safety grade. This income-to-safety correlation is consistent across all nine neighborhoods: the four neighborhoods with median incomes above $100,000 all grade B or higher, while Boyle Plaza's lower income bracket aligns with its D+ grade. The Powerhouse Arts District (C-) is something of an outlier — its $119,852 median income is relatively high, yet it earns the city's second-lowest safety grade, suggesting other localized factors at play. Overall, zero neighborhoods earned an A or an F, meaning Jersey City avoids both the very best and very worst extremes found in some comparable urban markets.