Jersey is a better place to live because the city offers lesser prices, excellent public transit, and is safer than Anaheim. Meanwhile, Anaheim provides a healthier economy and splendid views, but the high costs and crimes are a letdown.
Jersey City is an exciting city with a revived vibe, a diverse population, and plenty of green space. You’ll discover culturally varied food, interesting cultural events, developing art districts, and a cosmopolitan sensibility to rival that of its famous neighbor.
Anaheim is a haven for young professionals, singles, and families, and it’s only 30 minutes from Los Angeles. Weather, city facilities, reasonable housing, and excellent quality of life are all reasons why people are flocking to the center of Orange County.
Jersey and Anaheim are two cities with various advantages and disadvantages for their citizens. Moving to a place with poor safety and hefty expenses might be difficult.
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What are the Pros and Cons of Anaheim vs. Jersey?
Jersey is diverse with high-rated educational institutions and dazzling nightlife, but the city suffers from rodent infestations. Whereas Anaheim has many job opportunities and art venues yet is more expensive than Jersey.
Living in Jersey
Pros
- Better public transit
- Highly-rated educational institutions
- Dazzling nightlife
- Among the most diverse city
- Spend time outdoors
- High taxes
- Rodents
- Anaheim GardenWalk
- Disneyland – The happiest place on Earth
- More employment opportunities
- Art venues
- Beaches and mountains
- Expensive than Jersey
- Minimal public transportation
Taking public transportation isn’t an issue when you’re in the city. You may take the bus or train to any point inside and outside the municipal borders. The public transportation system in Jersey City is superior to that in other American cities.
Buses and trains connect every part of the city. Don’t worry if you get stuck on one; soon, the other will be around.
Jersey City has some of the country’s worst traffic. To escape traffic and stress, residents use public transit. As a result, it is preferable to use public transit wherever possible.
Jersey City is home to several highly rated educational institutions, a powerful lure for relocating families. As more families migrate to the neighborhood, the city’s public school system is expanding and improving.
Furthermore, several charter schools and private schools have delivered high test scores and college preparedness levels. Many of Jersey City’s private schools are parochial and demand uniforms.
For Higher Education, there are numerous public universities to choose from in the metropolis. For example, Jersey City University and Hudson County Community College are publicly sponsored and offer less expensive tuition.
Jersey is a family-friendly city that also caters to professionals. The town isn’t some bleak city where everything goes to sleep at night. Jersey evenings can be a lot of fun.
There are several restaurants, clubs, and bars in Jersey. The metropolis has many clubs where you could spend your entire life yet not see all of them. As a result, Jersey is the place to be if you’re looking for a town with a thriving social scene.
Jersey City is ranked #4 as the ‘Most Diverse City in America’ out of 228 cities. Jersey City is also the ‘Most Diverse Place to Live in New Jersey.’
One of the pros of living here is the diversity of people. It isn’t only a matter of racial or cultural differences.
Jersey is a welcoming city to people from all walks of life. Everyone lives in this metropolis, from working professionals to young families to the elderly.
Living in Jersey allows you to immerse yourself in various cultures and meet people from all walks of life. Its diverse population influences its cuisine, including dishes from several countries and continents.
Thanks to all of the area’s magnificent green spaces, those who enjoy the outdoors will enjoy living in Jersey City.
Lincoln Park, in particular, is a 275-acre oasis of natural beauty with a variety of sporting fields and amenities, historical landmarks, and scenic nature paths.
Even public Wi-Fi is available in the park. Ellis Island, which is close by, is also a lovely place to spend some time outside.
The city is actively renovating different aspects of these famous outdoor places to maintain each of these parks looking their best for inhabitants and tourists alike.
Cons
All of New Jersey’s cities have high taxes. The high taxes are due to the state’s high income and property taxes.
Jersey City is in Hudson County and has a 2.31% property tax rate.
Given the already high cost of living, spending a significant portion of your wage on taxes adds to the expense.
Rat infestation is a massive problem in Jersey City. Because there are no natural predators, the rat population in the city continues to grow, and you’ll have to deal with it.
In addition, rats are more likely to be found in your residence during the winter as they seek refuge from the cold. If you live in Jersey, you may need to get a cat or another animal to assist you in dealing with the rat problem.
Living in Anaheim
Pros
Anaheim GardenWalk is a family-friendly outdoor entertainment zone with a variety of attractions.
Restaurants, live music performances, and arcades occupy 430,000 square acres of the pedestrian-friendly property. Beautiful murals are painted on several walls, making your stroll more pleasurable and providing many opportunities for Instagram photos.
Moreover, Anaheim GardenWalk is the perfect place for you if you love shopping sprees.
Disneyland Park is the most well-known attraction in Anaheim. The park is the only one in the world conceived and built under Walt Disney’s supervision.
Since its inception in 1955, the park has undergone several restorations and additions, and it has welcomed more guests than any other theme park in the world.
There are eight themed lands within the park, each personality, and flair.
If you decide to relocate to Anaheim, you will be only a short distance from the happiest place on Earth. It isn’t easy to see everything at Disneyland in a single day, so plan on spending at least a couple of days there.
Even though Anaheim is a tourist-dependent city, it has a lower unemployment rate than Jersey. The metropolis’ unemployment rate in December 2021 is 4.30%, while Jersey’s rate is 6.30%. Thus, Anaheim offers more employment opportunities than Jersey.
The average hourly wage is $19.29, or $72,145 per year. The city’s median household income is $76,075, which is incredibly near the LA-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area’s average of $76,075.
With 31,000 workers, the Disneyland Resort, which includes the Disney hotel, theme parks, and the Downtown Disney District, is the largest employer. The Anaheim Convention Center and nearby hotels employ many people throughout the city.
Anaheim’s dynamic calendar of events hosted throughout the year at the city’s various cutting-edge venues ensures that there is always something to do.
Angels Stadium and the Honda Center, respectively, are home to the city’s two major league sports clubs, baseball, and hockey. Both places also hold several well-attended events regularly.
Maroon 5, Ariana Grande, Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez, and Katy Perry performed at the Honda Center.
Residents in Anaheim are never far from a refreshing swim in the Pacific Ocean. The beach is 20 minutes distant from Anaheim. Huntington Beach is one of the nearest beach communities, with 3.5 miles of beautiful shoreline to explore.
The mountains are also not far distant. The Santa Ana Mountains, just east of Anaheim, are home to pine woods, stunning waterfalls, and miles of fantastic hiking.
Cons
In California, housing expenses are the most significant obstacle to affordability, and Anaheim is no exception. Living in an apartment is typically a more appealing alternative than buying a home in Anaheim, where the average property costs over $500,000.
Aside from housing, several expenditures are lower than the national average. Healthcare and utilities are slightly less expensive than in most other parts of the country.
Nonetheless, Anaheim is about 3% more expensive compared to Jersey.
Anaheim has a minimal public transit system. The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is a regional transit station that serves Metrolink and Amtrak and is near Angel Stadium.
If you don’t own a car, it will be hard to move around Anaheim since it is a car-dependent city.
Anaheim or Jersey – Which is cheaper?
The overall cost of living in Anaheim is 3.7% more expensive than in Jersey. House prices are 22.5% more in Anaheim. Furthermore, the health expenses in Anaheim are also 4.8% higher than in Jersey.
| Living expenses | Anaheim | Jersey |
| Housing | 257.1% | 209.9% |
| Food & Groceries | 102.5% | 107.9% |
| Health | 95.9% | 91.5% |
| Utilities | 97.4% | 111.9% |
| Transportation | 118.0% | 153.7% |
Data is 100 = US National Average
> 100 means more expensive than the national average
< 100 means cheaper than the national average
Housing
Housing expenses in Anaheim are 22.5% higher than in Jersey. The latter’s total monthly rent for one person is only $2,473.00 compared to Anaheim’s $2,587.00.
Food & Groceries
Jersey’s food and grocery prices are higher than Anaheim’s. 1kg of chicken fillets in Anaheim, only $9.55, compared to $9.92 in Jersey.
Health
Healthcare costs are less costly in Jersey than in Anaheim. The health-related expenses in Anaheim are 4.8% higher than in Jersey.
Utilities
Jersey’s utility costs are higher compared to Anaheim’s. The primary utility fee for one person in Jersey costs $107, while it costs lower in Anaheim for only $92.1.
Transportation
Anaheim’s transportation fees are cheaper than in Jersey. A one-way ticket for local transport in Anaheim is only $2.00. At the same time, it costs 2.75 in Jersey.
Is Anaheim bigger than Jersey?
Jersey has a less dense population, a smaller land area, and a higher unemployment rate than Anaheim’s. Therefore, Anaheim is more extensive than Jersey’s population, land area, and economy.
In terms of geographical area, Jersey is 21.13 mi² with a 256,747 population. In comparison, Anaheim has a more extensive land area of 50.88 mi² and a denser population of 350,986.
As of December 2021, Anaheim has an unemployment rate of 4.30%. At the same time, Jersey has an unemployment rate higher than Anaheim, 6.30%.
Therefore, Anaheim boasts a better economic status and is denser and more enormous than Jersey.
Is Jersey safer than Anaheim?
Jersey has a minor crime index of 44.08, whereas Anaheim’s crime index is 53.24. Additionally, Anaheim has a safety scale of only 46.76. At the same time, Jersey has a favorable safety scale of 55.92. Therefore, Jersey is safer than Anaheim.
Jersey has a favorable safety scale of 55.92, larger than Anaheim’s safety scale of only 46.76.
Moreover, Anaheim’s crime index is 53.24, higher than Jersey’s 44.08.
In Jersey, just one out of every 74 people is a victim of property crime. In Anaheim, on the other hand, it’s one in 39.
Therefore, Jersey is safer than Anaheim.
Is Anaheim hotter than Jersey?
Jersey and Anaheim share a similar annual high average temperature of 85°F. However, Anaheim experiences prolonged sunny days. As a result, Anaheim is hotter than Jersey.
Summers in Jersey City are hot, humid, and rainy; winters are frigid, snowy, and windy; and the weather is partially overcast all year. The temperature ranges typically from 27°F to 85°F throughout the year, with temperatures seldom falling below 14°F or rising over 93°F.
The summer season in Anaheim is short, hot, dry, and clear, whereas winters are lengthy, chilly, and partly overcast. The temperature ranges typically from 46°F to 85°F throughout the year, with temperatures hardly ever falling below 39°F or rising over 94°F.
In Anaheim, there are 280 sunny days a year on average. On the other hand, Jersey has shorter sunny days of 217.
Although both cities experience the same annual peak temperature of 85°F, Anaheim has longer sunny days than Jersey.
Hence, Anaheim is hotter than Jersey.
Is Anaheim better than Jersey?
Anaheim boasts a better employment market and proximity to beaches and mountains. In contrast, living in Jersey is cheaper and safer. In light of these considerations, Jersey outperforms Anaheim.
Living in Jersey City is a fun experience. It offers a variety of benefits, including an excellent public transportation system, vibrant nightlife, numerous attractions, and lower prices.
However, the unemployment rate, rodent infestations, and high tax load are all the disadvantages. Despite its shortcomings, though, this city offers many advantages for you.
Anaheim provides more job opportunities to its residents with superb shopping locations and fun activities. Also, its proximity to the beaches and mountains makes it accessible for residents. Nevertheless, Anaheim has a higher crime count and prices than Jersey.
Therefore, Jersey is better than Anaheim.
Jersey versus Anaheim – Where do you consider moving? Let me know your thoughts below.