The Town FilesKearny, New Jersey
Town in Hudson County · population 41,999 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $459,400
- Household income
- $79,154
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 40.0
Kearny is a town of 41,999 people in Hudson County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $459,400, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 94% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 92% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 89% of New Jersey towns.
How Kearny ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kearny is worth $459,400, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $79,154, which is more affordable than 10% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,720 a month. 42.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kearny | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $459,400 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,720 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $79,154 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 42.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kearny
| People | Kearny | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 45.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 94.6% |
Weather in Kearny
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kearny since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 8, 2007 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Hudson County since 1996
Hudson County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Hudson County
Hudson County had 273,729 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $94,901 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Kearny itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Kearny
8 public schools with 6,192 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearny High School | 9-12 | 1,813 | 13.1 |
| Franklin Elementary School | PK-6 | 965 | 10.7 |
| Hudson Arts and Science Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 852 | 14.7 |
| Lincoln Middle School | 7-8 | 722 | 10.9 |
| Washington Elementary School | PK-6 | 533 | 10.5 |
| Garfield Elementary School | PK-6 | 442 | 10.5 |
| Schuyler Elementary School | PK-6 | 441 | 11.3 |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | PK-6 | 424 | 11.5 |
Towns near Kearny
- Harrison, NJ1.7 mi · 19,450 people · home $505,800
- East Newark, NJ2.0 mi · 2,594 people · home $470,300
- North Arlington, NJ2.3 mi · 16,457 people · home $474,500
- Lyndhurst, NJ3.1 mi · 22,519 people · home $524,400
- Newark, NJ3.2 mi · 311,549 people · home $373,700
- Belleville, NJ3.5 mi · 38,222 people · home $421,000
- Secaucus, NJ3.6 mi · 22,181 people · home $571,900
- Silver Lake, NJ3.7 mi · 4,730 people · home $448,300
Kearny questions
Is Kearny, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kearny scores better for retirees than 6% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 5%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Kearny?
The median owner-occupied home in Kearny is valued at $459,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,154, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,720 a month.
What is the weather like in Kearny?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Kearny get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kearny since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 8, 2007. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)