Places › New Jersey › Neptune

Living in Neptune, NJ

Small city in New Jersey

Neptune is a small city in New Jersey, home to about 28,000 people, with 1.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Neptune a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F
  • Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Big job market: about 1.3 million people live within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 1.89% property tax
  • Weaker public schools: test results below the US average
  • Cloudier than most places

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

Key facts

Population
28,000
1.3 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
44°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 29″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$494k
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 · 1.89% property tax
Safety
0.9× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
7 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly strong wind, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
7
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 11 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
38%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
JFK
33 mi away

Living in Neptune: common questions

What is the cost of living in Neptune?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $494k, 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 Neptune?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.89% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Neptune safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Neptune?

Public schools in Neptune test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 11 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Neptune?

Neptune has cold winters: winter days average around 44°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 29″ of snow a year.

Does Neptune get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from strong wind and flooding: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.38 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Neptune?

The nearest major airport is JFK, about 33 mi away.

How Neptune scores

Each bar compares Neptune 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 sizeMid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityTight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketGood
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationAverage
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetySafe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Neptune

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).

Beacon, NYSmall town59 $573k$2,510/moVery safe Brick, NJSmall city53 $545k$3,040/moVery safe Holbrook, NYSuburb56 $665k$3,350/moNo crime data Ocean, NJSuburb61 $732k$3,040/moVery safe Stratford, CTSuburb63 $477k$3,040/moVery safe Haverhill, MASuburb52 $577k$2,720/moSafe

Nearby

Asbury Park, NJBeach town · 2 mi away49 $760k$3,040/moHigher crime Ocean, NJSuburb · 3 mi away61 $732k$3,040/moVery safe Wall, NJSmall city · 4 mi away59 $783k$3,040/moVery safe Long Branch, NJSuburb · 7 mi away55 $754k$3,190/moSafe Howell, NJSuburb · 8 mi away62 $542k$3,040/moVery safe Brick, NJSmall city · 11 mi away53 $545k$3,040/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Neptune 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.