Long Branch, NJ Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Long Branch, NJ Crime

Is Long Branch, NJ safe in 2026?

Long Branch earns an overall city-wide safety rating of Safe (B), with 72% of its seven analyzed neighborhoods graded A or B — meaning the majority of the city's roughly 30,424 residents live in areas considered low to moderate risk. Two neighborhoods, Elberon and Uptown Long Branch, each hold an A- grade, the highest in the city. Three more — Branchport, North Long Branch, and West End Long Branch — carry a B+. The remaining two neighborhoods, Pier Village / Ocean Place (C+) and Downtown / Arts District (C), account for the 28.6% of neighborhoods in the C tier. Importantly, no neighborhood in Long Branch grades D or F, which sets it apart from many comparably sized coastal cities.

What is the crime rate in Long Branch, NJ?

Long Branch receives an overall crime grade of C- at the city level, but that figure is pulled upward by concentrated activity in specific pockets rather than spread evenly across all areas. When you break it down by neighborhood, the picture improves considerably: 28.6% of neighborhoods earn an A grade, 42.9% earn a B grade, and only 28.6% fall in the C range. The two lower-graded areas — Downtown / Arts District (C, population 6,657, median income $52,003) and Pier Village / Ocean Place (C+, population 657, median income $45,045) — both have median household incomes notably below the city average of $62,027, a pattern consistent with national research linking economic stress and crime concentration. Residents in the A- and B+ neighborhoods experience meaningfully lower risk than the city-level grade alone might suggest.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Long Branch?

Based on 2026 neighborhood-level crime analysis, the five safest areas in Long Branch are:

1. Elberon — A-: Population 2,940; median household income $83,313 — the highest in the city. Elberon's combination of low crime grade and high income makes it the top-ranked neighborhood for safety.
2. Uptown Long Branch — A-: Population 7,024; median income $68,942. The largest of the A-grade neighborhoods, meaning a significant share of Long Branch residents benefit from this safety tier.
3. Branchport — B+: Population 1,147; median income $73,345. A smaller, quieter enclave with strong safety metrics.
4. North Long Branch — B+: Population 4,722; median income $80,770. One of the larger B+ neighborhoods, with income figures close to Elberon's.
5. West End Long Branch — B+: Population 4,926; median income $75,245. Comparable in both size and income to North Long Branch, and equally well-rated.

Collectively, these five neighborhoods cover a substantial portion of Long Branch's 30,424 residents and represent the areas where crime risk is lowest relative to the city average.

Which neighborhoods in Long Branch have higher crime?

The two neighborhoods with the highest relative crime levels are Downtown / Arts District (grade C) and Pier Village / Ocean Place (grade C+). Downtown / Arts District is the more populous of the two at 6,657 residents and has a median income of $52,003 — roughly $10,000 below the city median. Pier Village / Ocean Place is a small, densely visited area with only 657 residents but a median income of just $45,045, the lowest of any Long Branch neighborhood. While a C or C+ grade is not alarming by national standards, it does indicate elevated caution is warranted compared to the A- and B+ neighborhoods. No Long Branch neighborhood grades D or F, so even the higher-crime areas remain within a moderate risk band.

Is Long Branch a good place to live?

Long Branch offers a compelling case for coastal New Jersey living, though the data points to a nuanced picture. On the positive side: 72% of neighborhoods are graded A or B, the median home value sits at approximately $369,958, and the city's seaside location commands a median rent of $1,370/month — competitive for the Monmouth County market. The median household income of $62,027 and a population density of 2,292 per square mile reflect a mid-density urban environment with real community infrastructure. The challenges are real too: an unemployment rate of 7.9% and a poverty rate of 18.2% are above state averages and correlate with the lower grades in Downtown and Pier Village. For families or individuals prioritizing safety, targeting neighborhoods like Elberon, Uptown Long Branch, or North Long Branch — all graded A- or B+ — offers the best combination of coastal lifestyle and lower crime risk within the same city limits.

How does Long Branch's neighborhood safety compare across income levels?

The data reveals a clear relationship between neighborhood income and crime grade in Long Branch. The two A- neighborhoods — Elberon ($83,313 median income) and Uptown Long Branch ($68,942) — sit well above the city median of $62,027. The three B+ neighborhoods — North Long Branch ($80,770), West End Long Branch ($75,245), and Branchport ($73,345) — also exceed the city median. By contrast, the C+ neighborhood of Pier Village / Ocean Place has a median income of $45,045, and the C-graded Downtown / Arts District comes in at $52,003. Every neighborhood graded B+ or higher has a median income at least $11,000 above the city average, while every neighborhood graded C or C+ falls at least $10,000 below it. This pattern underscores why economic context matters when interpreting crime maps — and why the city-level C- grade doesn't fully represent the safety experience in Long Branch's higher-income enclaves.