5 Best Neighborhoods in Newark, NJ

Since the 1600s, Newark has been one of the most notable cities in America. The city is New Jersey’s most populous and serves as the seat of Essex County.

But what makes Newark so popular? First, the city has lots of character and features a highly vibrant culture. The city’s prime location by the coast and near New York City also makes it ideal for many people.

Newark’s best neighborhoods include Central Business District, Weequahic, Forest Hill, University Heights, and North Ironbound. These neighborhoods are generally family-friendly, clean, and above all, safe. They have excellent learning institutions, exceptional cuisine choices, and affordable rents.

Newark’s overall population’s median age is 34, which is five and a half years less than New Jersey’s median age. That makes the city especially attractive for young adults. It’s also home to Newark Liberty Airport, which serves a staggering 45 million travelers a year.

The ability to offer an exceptional dining scene is a defining feature of any major city. You’ll be glad to know that Newark has hundreds of restaurants that will match or outdo any other in the country when it comes to both local and international cuisine.

Whether you love Japanese, Spanish, Barbecue, or Tacos, there are food joints everywhere you can find it. The city’s famed Portuguese food shrines have visitors coming from numerous locations to get a taste of Portugal.

Central Business District is the city’s downtown area. The neighborhood’s $889 median monthly rent makes it quite friendly. Those interested in buying can expect to pay an affordable median home purchase price of $129,883.

Central Business District is ideal for singles and young professionals. Prominent employers include Fortune 500 companies such as Prudent Financials. Residents can also easily get a job from the many industries in the area, including banking, insurance, and education.

Transportation in and out of the neighborhood is no trouble, with I-280 and Newark Penn Station close by.

As for security, Central Business District is safer than 60 percent of the entire city.

Few neighborhoods in Newark offer as much scenic green space as Weequahic. Apartments and single-family homes are also quite affordable. The median price for renting is $1,027 per month, while home buyers will pay a median price of $188,375.

Access to the Newark International airport and I-78 is easy, while getting to New York City takes just about 30 minutes.

For those who love the outdoors, the Weequahic Park and Weequahic Lake are perfect for picnics and other fun activities. You can participate in the outdoor festivals that take place every year or enjoy delicious meals at the countless food joints in the neighborhood.

Weequahic is safer than 80 percent of Newark neighborhoods. That makes it an ideal location to live, whether you’re single, a young professional, have a family, or are a retiree.

Forest Hill is especially appealing to families, given the spacious houses common in the area. Many homes in the area feature Victorian and Colonial Revival styles, which tend to be larger than the modern style. Residents thus have enough space to grow.

Forest Hill also has many top-performing schools, including Park Elementary School. The neighborhood is also safer than 75 percent of neighborhoods in Newark. These qualities make it ideal for raising a family.

There are many fun things to do in Forest Hill. Tennis enthusiasts can enjoy playing at the Althea Gibson Tennis Court, while those who prefer jogging can do so at Branch Brook Park. You’ll also love sampling the tasty meals served in the neighborhood’s numerous restaurants.

Just like the name suggests, University Heights is home to various institutions of higher learning. Rutgers University, Essex County College, and New Jersey Institute of Technology are all in this neighborhood.

As you’d expect, a large chunk of University Heights consists of students, singles, and young professionals. But people from other age groups and different career stages also call this neighborhood home, thanks to its budget-friendly rents and proximity to Downtown Newark. Prominent health facilities such as Saint Michael’s Medical Center and University Hospital offer career opportunities for those in the medical profession.

University Heights has a lot of places you can enjoy visiting, including Veterans Memorial Park, Feigenspan Mansion, and D reyfuss Planetarium. For those interested in fine food, the neighborhood has many excellent places you can dine, including Collard Greens and BQN Grill.

Ironbound is among the fastest-growing neighborhoods in Newark. Measuring a radius of just four square miles, Ironbound is split into North Ironbound and South Ironbound. Most residents in the area are Portuguese and Spanish, which provides a dynamic culture as well as exceptional cuisine.

North Ironbound is among the safest neighborhoods in Newark and has lots of amenities. Rents are among the lowest in the city, with the median monthly rent being $1,052. The area is popular with both young professionals and families.

Some neighborhoods in Newark are generally more unsafe, so it’s best to avoid them. The rates of rape, murder, assault, robbery, and car theft are quite high in these areas. Burglaries are also rampant, which means you must invest in the most secure types of door locks if you decide to live in these neighborhoods.

In particular, you should avoid West Side, whose crime rate is higher than the national average by at least 60 percent. The danger is even greater in the Springfield-Belmont neighborhood, whose crime rate is almost 70 percent higher than the national average.

There are several other neighborhoods to avoid in Newark, such as: