New study has a surprising pick for the worst NJ town to live in

I’m one of these people who defends Jersey at every turn no matter where I am. I’m proud of being a Jersey girl despite all of the drawbacks.

We’ve got so much to offer, from our internationally renowned Jersey Shore to the picturesque mountains, quaint rural areas, and bustling cities.

And Jersey’s even great for getting OUT of Jersey! When the urge strikes, we're blessed with the proximity of New York to the north and Philly to the south.

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What's not to love about our beloved state? Admittedly, while there are myriad commendable aspects to our state, there are pockets that may not offer the most desirable living conditions.

Recently, Moneyinc unveiled its roster of the 20 least desirable cities to reside in New Jersey. Their criteria included factors such as crime rates, unemployment figures, and various other metrics that affect quality of life.

Here’s an example: Salem found itself at the 18th spot on this list.

Neighborhoodscout.com shed light on Salem's crime situation, with a disconcerting crime rate of 42 incidents per 1,000 residents. (To put this into perspective, only 4% of American neighborhoods face similar safety concerns.)

Economically speaking, the median household income is just below the $25,000 mark. Meanwhile, Long Branch took the 7th position. With a median household income of $65,369, lower than the majority of Monmouth County, Long Branch suffers from a crazy high 48% likelihood of burglary.

More alarmingly, the chances of becoming a victim of violent crime stand at a concerning 1 in 279.

Lindenwold narrowly missed the top spot, securing second place. Here, the median household income is a modest $48,454, while the unemployment rate looms at 7%. If the perils of Long Branch seemed bad, Lindenwold presents an even worse scenario.

The odds of encountering violent crime stand at 1 in 237. However, the unenviable distinction of the top spot is unsurprisingly claimed by Newark.

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This bustling metropolis has an alarming unemployment rate of 11.3%, more than double the national average.

Even those who are gainfully employed have below-average household incomes, barely surpassing $35,199—over $20,000 less than the national average.

And, while crime rates in Newark aren't as dire as in some locations they still rank within the bottom 5%.

While you may have thought Camden would have been featured more prominently, Camden only made it to the number five spot. Recent trends show a promising upswing in Camden's fortunes. Stay tuned.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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