Places › New Jersey › Wayne

Living in Wayne, NJ

Suburb in New Jersey

Wayne is a suburb in New Jersey, home to about 54,000 people, with 13.3 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.

Is Wayne a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 27 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: EWR is 18 mi away
  • Big job market: about 13.3 million people live within 31 mi
  • Highly educated: 57% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 12 research universities are within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,267 state income tax per resident, 1.68% property tax
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $706k, and rent is $2,840 a month
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 18 within 9 mi

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

Key facts

Population
54,000
13.3 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
42°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 28″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$706k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,840/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
113
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,267
State income tax per resident · 1.68% property tax
Safety
0.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
27
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Excellent
Tests well above US average · 12 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
57%
12 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
EWR
18 mi away

Living in Wayne: common questions

What is the cost of living in Wayne?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $706k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,840 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 113, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Wayne?

New Jersey collects about $2,267 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.68% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Wayne safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.1× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Wayne?

Public schools in Wayne 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 Wayne?

Wayne has cold winters: winter days average around 42°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 28″ of snow a year.

Does Wayne get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.44 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Wayne?

The nearest major airport is EWR, about 18 mi away.

How Wayne scores

Each bar compares Wayne 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 quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureStrong culture scene 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
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingBelow average
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketExcellent
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsExcellent
🎓EducationExcellent
🧸Kids & familyExcellent
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CultureGood
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Wayne

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).

East Brunswick, NJSuburb71 $586k$2,980/moVery safe Orangetown, NYSuburb69 $708k$3,640/moVery safe Fair Lawn, NJSuburb74 $701k$2,840/moVery safe Old Bridge, NJSuburb68 $532k$3,450/moVery safe Paramus, NJSuburb69 $977k$6,510/moSafe Oyster Bay, NYBig city72 $975k$3,560/moNo crime data

Nearby

Paterson, NJMid-size city · 5 mi away58 $508k$2,250/moModerate crime Fair Lawn, NJSuburb · 7 mi away74 $701k$2,840/moVery safe Clifton, NJSuburb · 7 mi away68 $630k$2,840/moVery safe Garfield, NJSuburb · 8 mi away67 $591k$2,840/moVery safe Montclair, NJSuburb · 9 mi away71 $939k$2,760/moVery safe Passaic, NJSuburb · 9 mi away62 $554k$2,450/moModerate crime

See all the best places to live in New Jersey.

Is Wayne 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.