Montclair, NJ Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Montclair, NJ

What is Montclair's overall crime grade?

Montclair, NJ earns an overall crime grade of B- for 2026, meaning it performs better than a majority of U.S. cities and compares favorably to many similarly sized New Jersey suburbs. A B- grade reflects a community where serious violent crime is relatively uncommon, though property crime — the more typical concern in affluent suburban towns — does occur with enough frequency to warrant awareness. With a population of approximately 38,634 and a population density of 2,391 residents per square mile, Montclair is a moderately dense township where crime patterns tend to cluster around commercial corridors and transit-adjacent areas rather than spreading uniformly across all neighborhoods.

Is Montclair safe compared to other New Jersey towns?

With a B- overall crime grade, Montclair sits in a favorable position relative to many New Jersey municipalities. The township's median household income of $134,308 and median home value of $620,602 are both well above state and national averages, and research consistently shows a strong inverse relationship between community affluence and violent crime rates. Montclair's poverty rate of just 6.6% and unemployment rate of 4.8% further reinforce a stable socioeconomic foundation that tends to correlate with lower crime. Compared to denser urban centers in Essex County, Montclair's crime profile is meaningfully safer, particularly for violent offenses.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Montclair?

Based on available crime distribution data, Upper Montclair consistently ranks among the township's safest areas. Its residential character, active neighborhood associations, and distance from major commercial thoroughfares contribute to lower incident rates. The areas surrounding Watchung Plaza and stretches of Watchung Avenue also benefit from strong community engagement and visible foot traffic that naturally deters opportunistic crime. By contrast, blocks closer to the downtown Bloomfield Avenue corridor — while vibrant and walkable — tend to see a higher concentration of property-related incidents, which is typical for retail-dense zones in any B- graded community. No neighborhood in Montclair is high-crime by any objective measure, but these distinctions matter for residents doing block-by-block research.

What types of crime are most common in Montclair?

Property crime accounts for the dominant share of incidents in Montclair, consistent with the township's B- crime grade and its affluent demographic profile. Theft — including motor vehicle theft and larceny from vehicles — represents the most frequently reported offense category. Burglary incidents, while less common than simple theft, do appear in the data, particularly in transitional zones between residential and commercial blocks. Violent crime, including assault, is comparatively rare and tends to be concentrated in a small number of recurring locations rather than distributed broadly. Drug-related offenses represent a smaller but present slice of the incident log. This distribution — heavy on property crime, light on violence — is characteristic of high-income suburban townships earning grades in the B range.

What is the crime rate in Montclair relative to its population?

Montclair's B- crime grade reflects a per-capita crime rate that is below the national average for cities of comparable size and density. With roughly 38,634 residents spread across a 2,391-per-square-mile footprint, the township is dense enough to generate a non-trivial volume of reported incidents, but not so dense that crime becomes pervasive. The median rent of $1,732 signals a housing market that attracts stable, working, and professional households — a demographic mix that tends to produce lower victimization rates. Residents should note that crime rates are not uniform across all zip codes or precincts within Montclair; the downtown core and areas near major transit stops typically show higher incident concentrations than purely residential zones like Upper Montclair.

Is Montclair a good place to live from a safety standpoint?

For most households, Montclair's B- safety grade combined with its exceptional quality-of-life indicators makes it a strong choice. A median household income of $134,308, median home value of $620,602, low poverty rate of 6.6%, and an unemployment rate of 4.8% paint a picture of a community with the economic resilience that underpins long-term neighborhood safety. Families, professionals, and commuters to New York City will find that the risk profile here — dominated by property crime rather than violent crime — is manageable with standard precautions like securing vehicles, using home alarm systems, and staying connected to neighborhood watch networks. The B- grade means Montclair is not perfect, but it is well above average and continues to benefit from active community policing and engaged residents across neighborhoods like Upper Montclair, the Watchung Avenue corridor, and the South End.