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Living in Perth Amboy, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Perth Amboy is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 55,000 people, with 12.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Perth Amboy a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 23 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
  • Easy flying: EWR is 13 mi away
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 2.26% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 13 within 9 mi

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

Key facts

Population
55,000
12.5 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
43°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 29″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$480k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,980/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 2.26% property tax
Safety
0.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
23
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
15%
14 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
EWR
13 mi away

Living in Perth Amboy: common questions

What is the cost of living in Perth Amboy?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $480k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,980 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Perth Amboy?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.26% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Perth Amboy safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Perth Amboy?

Perth Amboy has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 29″ of snow a year.

Does Perth Amboy get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.29 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Perth Amboy?

The nearest major airport is EWR, about 13 mi away.

How Perth Amboy scores

Each bar compares Perth Amboy with the other 1143 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 size Major metro Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Dense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Perth Amboy right for you?

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

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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.