Residential comparison · 13 facts
New Brunswick, NJ vs Plainfield, NJ
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in New Brunswick needs about $82,000 in Plainfield to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Plainfield, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,000 in New Brunswick.
A few differences
- Plainfield is higher on median household income ($85,908 vs $65,810).
- New Brunswick is lower on cost of living index (111 vs 113).
- Plainfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,750/mo vs $1,828/mo).
New Brunswick vs Plainfield · facet by facet
| Facet | New Brunswick, NJ | Plainfield, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $353,800 | $410,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,828/mo | $1,750/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| State & local income tax | 2.26% | 2.26% |
| Sales tax | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Cost of living index | 111 | 113 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $65,810 | $85,908 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Crime index | 25/100 | 25/100 |
| School rating | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 205 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: New Brunswick, NJ · Plainfield, NJ
Questions & answers
- Is New Brunswick cheaper than Plainfield?
- New Brunswick has the lower day-to-day cost index (111 vs 113 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Plainfield equals $85,000 in New Brunswick?
- A household earning $85,000 in New Brunswick needs about $82,000 in Plainfield to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Plainfield lifestyle costs about $88,000 in New Brunswick.