Most cash-strapped cities in New Jersey (2026)
Camden is the most cash-strapped city in New Jersey on our Cash Strain Index, followed by Atlantic City, Perth Amboy. We ranked all 156 New Jersey cities with 10,000+ residents on rent burden, low household incomes, poverty and unemployment. Robertsville ranks as the least strained.
All 156 New Jersey cities ranked
| Rank | City | Score | Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | Households under $35k | Poverty rate | Unemployment rate | Rent as % of median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camden | 99.7 | 60.1% | 44.3% | 30.2% | 14.5% | 36.3% |
| 2 | Atlantic City | 99.6 | 58.8% | 43.1% | 32.3% | 14.5% | 33.2% |
| 3 | Perth Amboy | 98.4 | 64.4% | 28.3% | 20.2% | 14.3% | 32.7% |
| 4 | Newark | 98.0 | 57.1% | 35.4% | 23.4% | 11.6% | 32.1% |
| 5 | Passaic | 97.9 | 57.8% | 31.8% | 22.9% | 12.5% | 31.7% |
| 6 | Holiday City-Berkeley | 97.9 | 80.2% | 37.2% | 9.6% | 6.8% | 39.2% |
| 7 | Paterson | 97.6 | 59.4% | 32.6% | 21.2% | 10.7% | 33.2% |
| 8 | Pleasantville | 97.4 | 61.3% | 29.2% | 25.1% | 10.7% | 30.3% |
| 9 | Trenton | 96.6 | 58.4% | 35.2% | 21.6% | 10.1% | 29.6% |
| 10 | Fairview | 95.3 | 55.3% | 29.7% | 20.8% | 9.4% | 32.0% |
| 11 | Union City | 94.4 | 53.4% | 31.2% | 23.1% | 9.4% | 28.7% |
| 12 | East Orange | 92.5 | 58.0% | 31.0% | 16.4% | 9.2% | 28.4% |
| 13 | Bridgeton | 92.4 | 52.4% | 34.2% | 27.2% | 5.8% | 28.8% |
| 14 | West New York | 90.6 | 54.7% | 27.7% | 19.4% | 8.4% | 28.7% |
| 15 | Lindenwold | 89.6 | 63.3% | 30.7% | 21.1% | 4.6% | 28.4% |
| 16 | Guttenberg | 89.4 | 63.8% | 26.8% | 19.2% | 6.8% | 26.6% |
| 17 | McKee City | 87.6 | 59.6% | 23.6% | 10.2% | 8.0% | 31.7% |
| 18 | Asbury Park | 86.0 | 52.2% | 29.8% | 21.9% | 5.6% | 27.4% |
| 19 | Pennsville | 84.8 | 59.6% | 22.4% | 12.5% | 11.9% | 19.8% |
| 20 | Elizabeth | 84.2 | 53.5% | 24.6% | 15.7% | 7.7% | 27.5% |
| 21 | Phillipsburg | 83.6 | 51.9% | 34.6% | 20.2% | 7.3% | 20.5% |
| 22 | Long Branch | 83.3 | 52.8% | 25.3% | 15.5% | 7.0% | 28.3% |
| 23 | Freehold | 82.4 | 54.1% | 24.4% | 14.3% | 8.2% | 25.7% |
| 24 | Dover | 81.8 | 60.7% | 18.8% | 14.2% | 5.9% | 29.7% |
| 25 | Pine Hill | 79.9 | 57.1% | 22.3% | 15.7% | 7.9% | 23.3% |
| 26 | Gloucester City | 79.8 | 51.2% | 24.4% | 19.5% | 5.4% | 27.4% |
| 27 | Plainfield | 79.2 | 55.9% | 15.3% | 15.5% | 8.9% | 24.7% |
| 28 | Vineland | 78.4 | 57.1% | 24.5% | 14.6% | 7.8% | 21.8% |
| 29 | North Plainfield | 77.7 | 56.0% | 17.8% | 13.2% | 8.8% | 24.1% |
| 30 | Hackensack | 76.6 | 51.4% | 20.5% | 12.1% | 7.7% | 27.2% |
| 31 | Pompton Plains | 75.9 | 66.7% | 19.5% | 5.6% | 4.2% | 31.8% |
| 32 | Somers Point | 75.2 | 51.3% | 19.2% | 9.2% | 10.5% | 23.4% |
| 33 | Millville | 74.6 | 58.3% | 29.3% | 12.5% | 6.1% | 21.5% |
| 34 | Garfield | 72.8 | 52.9% | 20.7% | 13.4% | 6.7% | 25.4% |
| 35 | Hammonton | 72.7 | 61.2% | 21.7% | 9.6% | 6.1% | 24.8% |
| 36 | Glassboro | 71.7 | 52.2% | 21.9% | 13.4% | 7.4% | 23.2% |
| 37 | Rahway | 71.1 | 56.7% | 20.7% | 9.5% | 7.3% | 24.2% |
| 38 | Englewood | 70.1 | 59.0% | 18.1% | 9.2% | 7.8% | 23.1% |
| 39 | Lodi | 69.8 | 50.8% | 20.4% | 15.4% | 7.0% | 23.0% |
| 40 | Kearny | 68.9 | 51.8% | 17.8% | 12.5% | 6.6% | 26.1% |
| 41 | Linden | 67.6 | 52.5% | 15.0% | 9.6% | 9.5% | 22.4% |
| 42 | Ridgefield Park | 67.4 | 47.8% | 18.1% | 11.9% | 9.9% | 20.6% |
| 43 | Edgewater | 67.4 | 55.0% | 16.3% | 7.7% | 8.0% | 24.9% |
| 44 | Bound Brook | 67.2 | 65.4% | 15.3% | 11.1% | 4.1% | 26.1% |
| 45 | Carteret | 67.2 | 46.3% | 14.5% | 8.2% | 10.1% | 25.2% |
| 46 | Woodbury | 67.0 | 56.4% | 26.6% | 13.2% | 7.9% | 15.4% |
| 47 | Elmwood Park | 66.2 | 49.9% | 18.0% | 11.6% | 7.4% | 24.5% |
| 48 | Wallington | 66.2 | 46.9% | 19.9% | 12.2% | 8.3% | 22.7% |
| 49 | South River | 64.5 | 55.0% | 16.2% | 12.5% | 7.7% | 20.9% |
| 50 | Bayonne | 62.1 | 46.7% | 22.3% | 14.4% | 5.4% | 24.1% |
| 51 | Harrison | 62.0 | 46.3% | 17.4% | 11.8% | 5.3% | 28.7% |
| 52 | Echelon | 61.6 | 54.2% | 24.8% | 10.6% | 3.9% | 24.8% |
| 53 | Jersey City | 61.2 | 44.4% | 20.6% | 15.6% | 5.5% | 24.6% |
| 54 | Clifton | 59.8 | 57.7% | 18.1% | 7.9% | 7.1% | 20.9% |
| 55 | Paramus | 59.2 | 57.8% | 10.9% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 25.2% |
| 56 | Palisades Park | 58.8 | 53.6% | 16.4% | 9.4% | 5.6% | 25.4% |
| 57 | Beachwood | 57.0 | 75.9% | 8.9% | 4.5% | 3.1% | 26.2% |
| 58 | Little Ferry | 54.4 | 46.7% | 15.3% | 6.3% | 7.6% | 25.0% |
| 59 | Roselle | 54.1 | 49.7% | 15.5% | 9.5% | 8.0% | 20.3% |
| 60 | Tinton Falls | 53.9 | 65.5% | 18.1% | 6.7% | 5.8% | 17.9% |
| 61 | Fort Lee | 53.3 | 48.4% | 17.4% | 7.8% | 5.8% | 25.4% |
| 62 | Sicklerville | 52.0 | 65.8% | 14.6% | 8.5% | 5.6% | 17.8% |
| 63 | Cliffside Park | 51.9 | 51.4% | 18.4% | 10.8% | 4.4% | 23.6% |
| 64 | Ocean Acres | 50.4 | 67.7% | 7.7% | 2.0% | 6.5% | 22.1% |
| 65 | Colonia | 49.4 | 62.5% | 15.4% | 7.4% | 4.9% | 20.0% |
| 66 | Manville | 49.1 | 50.2% | 20.9% | 11.7% | 3.1% | 23.7% |
| 67 | Ocean City | 48.4 | 61.0% | 20.0% | 9.8% | 3.2% | 19.8% |
| 68 | Collingswood | 48.0 | 52.0% | 19.1% | 9.5% | 5.5% | 19.8% |
| 69 | Hackettstown | 47.6 | 45.7% | 15.5% | 9.4% | 8.2% | 18.9% |
| 70 | Woodbridge | 46.0 | 44.2% | 15.7% | 11.1% | 5.1% | 23.9% |
| 71 | Eatontown | 45.8 | 47.0% | 21.0% | 4.4% | 6.7% | 21.2% |
| 72 | Maywood | 45.5 | 54.1% | 13.4% | 3.9% | 8.1% | 18.9% |
| 73 | Franklin Park | 45.4 | 46.0% | 14.2% | 11.0% | 5.6% | 22.5% |
| 74 | Red Bank | 44.8 | 48.0% | 18.9% | 8.7% | 3.5% | 24.9% |
| 75 | Westmont | 44.8 | 48.9% | 17.1% | 5.8% | 7.9% | 18.3% |
| 76 | Sayreville | 40.5 | 52.9% | 13.1% | 6.2% | 5.8% | 20.5% |
| 77 | Cherry Hill Mall | 39.7 | 29.2% | 13.9% | 10.8% | 7.3% | 24.7% |
| 78 | Florham Park | 37.5 | 43.8% | 11.0% | 8.7% | 5.4% | 23.5% |
| 79 | Fair Lawn | 36.9 | 59.2% | 11.4% | 6.1% | 6.2% | 15.9% |
| 80 | East Rutherford | 36.9 | 45.2% | 14.7% | 7.4% | 4.3% | 23.9% |
| 81 | Iselin | 36.3 | 49.7% | 12.0% | 7.9% | 3.9% | 23.2% |
| 82 | Parsippany | 36.2 | 41.1% | 16.7% | 6.7% | 6.2% | 21.0% |
| 83 | Bergenfield | 35.6 | 54.1% | 13.0% | 7.1% | 6.2% | 16.2% |
| 84 | Williamstown | 35.2 | 46.8% | 18.8% | 8.3% | 5.6% | 17.0% |
| 85 | Totowa | 34.4 | 60.3% | 12.2% | 4.1% | 3.0% | 21.9% |
| 86 | North Arlington | 34.3 | 43.8% | 13.4% | 4.3% | 6.3% | 22.1% |
| 87 | Hasbrouck Heights | 33.4 | 60.8% | 13.1% | 6.0% | 4.4% | 16.5% |
| 88 | Avenel | 33.0 | 41.4% | 12.9% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 22.5% |
| 89 | Moorestown-Lenola | 32.9 | 45.7% | 17.6% | 7.1% | 7.4% | 14.3% |
| 90 | Woodland Park | 32.9 | 47.6% | 11.7% | 3.8% | 5.6% | 22.3% |
| 91 | Dumont | 32.5 | 60.3% | 13.8% | 6.6% | 3.7% | 17.0% |
| 92 | New Milford | 31.5 | 50.7% | 11.4% | 4.2% | 6.4% | 18.4% |
| 93 | Somerset | 30.4 | 54.9% | 11.3% | 4.5% | 3.8% | 21.0% |
| 94 | Toms River | 30.1 | 47.0% | 15.2% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 20.7% |
| 95 | Highland Park | 29.4 | 40.2% | 14.9% | 7.5% | 4.8% | 21.5% |
| 96 | Ridgefield | 28.4 | 47.7% | 7.1% | 5.1% | 5.6% | 21.3% |
| 97 | Morristown | 27.8 | 37.4% | 11.6% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 22.5% |
| 98 | Old Bridge | 26.1 | 47.0% | 11.3% | 6.9% | 6.5% | 15.6% |
| 99 | West Freehold | 25.9 | 51.8% | 12.7% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 19.7% |
| 100 | Springdale | 25.8 | 62.0% | 14.4% | 7.5% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| 101 | Lincoln Park | 25.3 | 32.1% | 10.4% | 2.9% | 10.1% | 18.1% |
| 102 | East Franklin | 25.3 | 41.7% | 8.1% | 5.9% | 5.8% | 21.4% |
| 103 | Fords | 24.9 | 44.7% | 13.8% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 19.8% |
| 104 | Madison | 24.9 | 53.2% | 9.9% | 3.2% | 6.3% | 15.8% |
| 105 | Preakness | 24.6 | 51.4% | 15.3% | 3.3% | 4.6% | 17.3% |
| 106 | Bellmawr | 24.5 | 36.9% | 17.9% | 9.6% | 4.0% | 19.7% |
| 107 | Greentree | 24.0 | 52.8% | 12.4% | 3.6% | 4.4% | 17.9% |
| 108 | Hawthorne | 23.3 | 47.8% | 9.2% | 4.0% | 5.1% | 19.9% |
| 109 | Point Pleasant | 23.2 | 54.9% | 10.1% | 4.5% | 3.0% | 20.0% |
| 110 | South Plainfield | 22.5 | 50.0% | 6.7% | 3.0% | 5.6% | 19.4% |
| 111 | Oak Ridge | 21.9 | 48.4% | 16.8% | 5.8% | 5.3% | 13.5% |
| 112 | White Horse | 21.6 | 40.6% | 15.0% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 23.2% |
| 113 | Middlesex | 21.5 | 44.3% | 14.2% | 11.3% | 3.6% | 16.2% |
| 114 | Secaucus | 21.4 | 35.7% | 13.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 20.5% |
| 115 | Kendall Park | 21.1 | 47.6% | 11.7% | 4.2% | 6.8% | 13.9% |
| 116 | Ramsey | 20.8 | 57.6% | 10.9% | 4.3% | 3.2% | 16.7% |
| 117 | Somerville | 20.5 | 41.9% | 14.4% | 5.9% | 3.4% | 20.8% |
| 118 | River Edge | 19.3 | 54.6% | 10.6% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 14.2% |
| 119 | Marlton | 18.5 | 42.0% | 10.1% | 3.7% | 4.1% | 21.8% |
| 120 | Wanaque | 17.4 | 44.2% | 10.0% | 5.9% | 4.0% | 18.9% |
| 121 | Summit | 17.2 | 45.0% | 11.0% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 15.3% |
| 122 | Tenafly | 17.1 | 35.6% | 7.0% | 3.5% | 6.8% | 20.2% |
| 123 | Hamilton Square | 16.9 | 53.2% | 9.0% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 18.6% |
| 124 | Roselle Park | 15.0 | 39.7% | 8.6% | 6.6% | 4.8% | 18.2% |
| 125 | Franklin Lakes | 14.7 | 63.4% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 16.4% |
| 126 | Ringwood | 13.4 | 55.7% | 6.0% | 2.5% | 4.8% | 13.8% |
| 127 | Oakland | 13.2 | 57.2% | 8.3% | 3.1% | 5.4% | 10.2% |
| 128 | Hopatcong | 13.2 | 48.8% | 8.6% | 4.2% | 2.9% | 18.4% |
| 129 | The Hills | 12.9 | 41.1% | 12.5% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 18.4% |
| 130 | Hoboken | 12.7 | 32.9% | 12.3% | 7.8% | 3.8% | 19.5% |
| 131 | Westwood | 11.6 | 46.8% | 7.4% | 7.1% | 2.5% | 17.8% |
| 132 | Glen Rock | 11.5 | 56.3% | 5.9% | 1.3% | 6.0% | 10.8% |
| 133 | Bradley Gardens | 11.4 | 42.7% | 10.4% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 18.0% |
| 134 | Wood-Ridge | 10.3 | 38.0% | 7.6% | 6.9% | 4.8% | 16.6% |
| 135 | Budd Lake | 10.1 | 39.8% | 6.0% | 4.6% | 6.4% | 14.7% |
| 136 | Hillsborough | 9.8 | 46.0% | 9.0% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 16.5% |
| 137 | Metuchen | 9.8 | 38.2% | 8.7% | 3.6% | 5.8% | 15.8% |
| 138 | Princeton | 8.7 | 36.1% | 9.7% | 6.1% | 4.3% | 16.5% |
| 139 | Blackwells Mills | 8.2 | 49.3% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 4.8% | 15.4% |
| 140 | Pompton Lakes | 7.7 | 32.0% | 11.1% | 8.4% | 3.1% | 17.8% |
| 141 | Lake Hopatcong | 7.6 | 46.1% | 7.2% | 4.0% | 2.5% | 17.2% |
| 142 | Mercerville | 7.6 | 42.2% | 7.3% | 3.2% | 4.6% | 15.2% |
| 143 | Waldwick | 6.8 | 39.1% | 4.9% | 1.4% | 2.2% | 23.2% |
| 144 | Princeton Meadows | 6.6 | 31.9% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 4.6% | 18.4% |
| 145 | Upper Montclair | 6.4 | 51.1% | 5.7% | 1.9% | 5.0% | 10.7% |
| 146 | Rutherford | 6.0 | 31.4% | 10.2% | 5.5% | 4.2% | 16.5% |
| 147 | Ridgewood | 4.8 | 41.4% | 7.5% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 14.4% |
| 148 | Kinnelon | 4.6 | 27.3% | 3.7% | 2.0% | 8.1% | 14.6% |
| 149 | Short Hills | 4.0 | 44.3% | 3.9% | 2.3% | 3.4% | 15.0% |
| 150 | New Providence | 3.3 | 37.7% | 8.1% | 2.1% | 3.8% | 14.1% |
| 151 | Lake Hiawatha | 3.2 | 27.7% | 11.2% | 3.3% | 3.0% | 17.8% |
| 152 | Hillsdale | 2.9 | 45.8% | 6.1% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 11.3% |
| 153 | Haddonfield | 2.7 | 41.7% | 7.0% | 3.1% | 3.6% | 11.4% |
| 154 | Martinsville | 2.6 | 47.7% | 3.7% | 1.4% | 2.8% | 12.7% |
| 155 | Westfield | 1.4 | 35.8% | 7.0% | 1.8% | 3.6% | 12.2% |
| 156 | Robertsville | 1.1 | 26.0% | 8.8% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 15.5% |
Score = national percentile (100 = more strain than every other ranked U.S. city). See the national ranking, or personal loans in New Jersey.
Download the full dataset (CSV)
Methodology
The Cash Strain Index combines five measures of household financial pressure for every U.S. city with 10,000+ residents that has complete data (4,121 cities; college towns with a median age under 25 are excluded because student households distort income measures): the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent, the share of households earning under $35,000, the poverty rate, the unemployment rate, and median annual rent as a percentage of median household income. Each measure is standardized (z-score) across all ranked cities and the five are averaged with equal weight. The score shown is a percentile from 0 to 100, where 100 means more strain than every other ranked city. The national list ranks cities with 100,000+ residents; state lists rank every city with 10,000+ residents.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25070, B19001, B17001, B23025, B25064, B19013). ACS estimates carry margins of error, so small differences between neighboring ranks are not meaningful.
Use this data
Journalists, researchers and bloggers may use these rankings and the CSV with credit and a link to this page (“Zebra Finance Cash Strain Index 2026”). Questions or a custom cut for your city: support@zebrafinance.com.