Places › New Jersey › Rahway

Living in Rahway, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Rahway is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 30,000 people, with 12.9 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 Rahway a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 23 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.3× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Big job market: about 12.9 million people live within 31 mi
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 2.73% property tax
  • Few dog parks: 16 within 9 mi
  • 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 Rahway ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
30,000
12.9 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
43°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 26″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$540k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,940/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 2.73% property tax
Safety
0.3× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
23
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
36%
14 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
EWR
8 mi away

Living in Rahway: common questions

What is the cost of living in Rahway?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $540k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,940 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Rahway?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.73% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Rahway safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.3× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Rahway?

Public schools in Rahway test below 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 Rahway?

Rahway has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 26″ of snow a year.

Does Rahway get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.59 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Rahway?

The nearest major airport is EWR, about 8 mi away.

How Rahway scores

Each bar compares Rahway 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 sizeBig city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietDense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundWalk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureCulture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceVery fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationExcellent
🧸Kids & familyExcellent
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureExcellent
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Rahway

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).

Perth Amboy, NJSuburb65 $480k$3,020/moVery safe Englewood, NJSuburb72 $648k$2,840/moVery safe Kearny, NJSuburb70 $564k$3,370/moVery safe Linden, NJSuburb63 $565k$2,760/moSafe Yonkers, NYMid-size city67 $752k$3,640/moSafe Glen Cove, NYSuburb72 $791k$4,410/moVery safe

Nearby

Linden, NJSuburb · 3 mi away63 $565k$2,760/moSafe Woodbridge, NJSuburb · 3 mi away70 $534k$2,980/moVery safe Westfield, NJSuburb · 4 mi away75 $999k$3,540/moVery safe Perth Amboy, NJSuburb · 6 mi away65 $480k$3,020/moVery safe Union, NJSuburb · 6 mi away70 $597k$2,760/moVery safe Elizabeth, NJSuburb · 6 mi away61 $540k$2,760/moModerate crime

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Rahway 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.