Elizabeth, New Jersey Income Statistics
Elizabeth Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Elizabeth Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Elizabeth | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $66,034 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,060 | $76,200 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.2% | 19.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 21.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Elizabeth is about 36% lower than in New Jersey. Income has been growing faster in Elizabeth (5.3%/yr) than in New Jersey (4.4%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Elizabeth earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the New Jersey average of 20%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Elizabeth, New Jersey grew by 51.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $66,034 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Elizabeth
| Metric | Elizabeth | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.550 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,668 | $87,197 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,849 | $70,502 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.1% | 19.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Elizabeth, it is 0.550, higher than New Jersey's 0.544, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $308,665 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elizabeth, New Jersey has widened from about 14% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,146 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Elizabeth widened by 3.4 points while New Jersey's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Elizabeth | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.3% | 16.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 26 | 22 |
Approximately 5,516 people are unemployed in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
The average commute time in Elizabeth is 23 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in New Jersey.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Elizabeth, New Jersey has fallen from 10.9% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.8% in 2021.
Elizabeth, NJ Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Elizabeth, NJ is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 137,246 residents against a local median of 44,201. Elizabeth, NJ's median household income, at $66,034, runs 28% below the $91,192 typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.7% against a local median of 9.5%, 19% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Elizabeth, NJ is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread $39,270 on median household income, so Elizabeth, NJ sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Elizabeth, NJ has the 3rd highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth, NJ | 137,246 | $66,034 #3/4 | 5.3%/yr #3/4 | 7.7% #1/4 | 0.550 #3/4 |
| Newark, NJ | 309,652 | $52,688 | 5.9%/yr | 11.6% | 0.593 |
| Linden, NJ | 44,201 | $91,192 | 4.3%/yr | 9.5% | 0.528 |
| Roselle, NJ | 22,520 | $91,958 | 9.0%/yr | 8.0% | 0.504 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Elizabeth, New Jersey has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it worse than New Jersey, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
How Wealthy Is Elizabeth, New Jersey?
Elizabeth has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $66,034, about 36% lower than the New Jersey average of $103,817.
How has median household income changed in Elizabeth, New Jersey?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Elizabeth, New Jersey rose 51%, from $43,709 to $66,034. Over the same years, income here outpaced New Jersey as a whole: +51% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Elizabeth in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Elizabeth, New Jersey was $63,870, up 7% from $59,951 in 2022. The New Jersey median that year was $101,191.
What was the median household income in Elizabeth in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Elizabeth, New Jersey was $50,843. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $66,034.
What is the Gini coefficient in Elizabeth, New Jersey?
The Gini coefficient in Elizabeth is 0.550. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Elizabeth, New Jersey?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elizabeth, New Jersey has widened from about 14% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,146 since 2009.
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