Essex
6.1
High score (8-10)
Essex County has real range — the Short Hills and Millburn corridor is old Northeastern money, Montclair is one of the most genuinely diverse and culturally active suburbs in the Northeast, and Newark is coming up in specific pockets around Ironbound (a dense Portuguese-Brazilian neighborhood with excellent food and a real nightlife energy). EWR is in the county, which means you're always positioned for easy movement. Montclair in particular has an arts and intellectual culture that's welcoming to people from outside the area in a way that most NJ suburbs aren't.
Mid score (6-8) · Your profile
Essex County splits into two very different worlds: Newark, which anchors the eastern end with EWR airport and high crime rates, and the wealthy suburbs like Montclair, Millburn, and the Short Hills area where household incomes run well above the national average. The Short Hills Mall is one of the top-grossing retail centers in the country, giving you a sense of the money concentrated in that western corridor. Montclair has a genuine arts scene and real cultural diversity. Your experience here depends almost entirely on which zip code you're operating in.
Lower score (below 6)
Newark has significant violent crime and the social infrastructure for outsiders is limited and requires navigating some real safety considerations. The wealthy suburbs like Short Hills are beautiful but deeply insular — established family networks that don't have obvious entry points for newcomers. Essex County doesn't have a coherent social scene that pulls these different worlds together. Without a pre-existing connection to either the corporate suburban crowd or the Newark community networks, you're operating in friction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the median income in Essex, NewJersey?
$98k median
What's the typical marriage age for women in Essex, NewJersey?
Women marry at 30
How common is a college degree in Essex, NewJersey?
41% men have degree
What's the average male height in Essex, NewJersey?
176 cm local avg
What's the average BMI for women in Essex, NewJersey?
Local women avg 30.0