Places › New Jersey › Middletown

Living in Middletown, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Middletown is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 67,000 people, with 12.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Middletown a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Safe: violent crime is 0.09× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Big job market: about 12.0 million people live within 31 mi
  • Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
  • Strong healthcare: 17 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 1.75% property tax
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $663k, and rent is $3,040 a month
  • Cloudier than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Middletown ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
67,000
12.0 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
44°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 25″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$663k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,040/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 1.75% property tax
Safety
0.09× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, strong wind
Top-rated hospitals
17
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
50%
11 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
EWR
20 mi away

Living in Middletown: common questions

What is the cost of living in Middletown?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $663k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,040 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Middletown?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.75% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Middletown safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.09× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Middletown?

Public schools in Middletown test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 12 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Middletown?

Middletown has cold winters: winter days average around 44°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 25″ of snow a year.

Does Middletown get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, strong wind and heat waves: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.61 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Middletown?

The nearest major airport is EWR, about 20 mi away.

How Middletown scores

Each bar compares Middletown with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeMajor metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureCulture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingHouses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationExcellent
🧸Kids & familyExcellent
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsGood
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Middletown

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Bridgewater, NJSuburb71 $676k$2,980/moVery safe Marlboro, NJSuburb70 $755k$3,040/moVery safe Randolph, NJSuburb71 $744k$2,760/moVery safe Livingston, NJSuburb76 $909k$2,760/moVery safe Huntington, NYMid-size city70 $879k$3,560/moNo crime data Westport, CTSuburb71 $1.39M$3,040/moVery safe

Nearby

Long Branch, NJSuburb · 9 mi away55 $754k$3,190/moSafe Ocean, NJSuburb · 11 mi away61 $732k$3,040/moVery safe Marlboro, NJSuburb · 11 mi away70 $755k$3,040/moVery safe Asbury Park, NJBeach town · 13 mi away49 $760k$3,040/moHigher crime Perth Amboy, NJSuburb · 13 mi away65 $480k$3,020/moVery safe Neptune, NJSmall city · 13 mi away53 $494k$3,040/moSafe

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Middletown right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.