The Town FilesEast Orange, New Jersey
City in Essex County · population 69,612 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $365,900
- Household income
- $60,830
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 37.4
East Orange is a city of 69,612 people in Essex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $365,900, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 98% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 92% of New Jersey towns.
How East Orange 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 East Orange is worth $365,900, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $60,830, which is more affordable than 9% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,441 a month. 31.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Orange | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $365,900 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,441 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $60,830 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.0× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 31.0% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in East Orange
| People | East Orange | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in East Orange
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
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Orange since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 31, 2019 about 9.4 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 36 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 33 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 |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 349,076 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $88,369 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in East Orange itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Public schools in East Orange
22 public schools with 9,392 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Orange Campus High School | 9-12 | 1,751 | 17.3 |
| Cicely L. Tyson Community Middle/High School | 6-12 | 695 | 11.0 |
| East Orange STEM Academy High School | 6-12 | 609 | 15.2 |
| Langston Hughes Elementary School | PK-5 | 568 | 14.9 |
| Edward T. Bowser Sr. School of Excellence | PK-5 | 528 | 15.1 |
| Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School | PK-5 | 488 | 14.8 |
| Benjamin Banneker Academy | PK-8 | 487 | 13.9 |
| Shelia Y. Oliver Academy | PK-8 | 438 | 14.1 |
| East Orange Community Charter School (charter) | K-4 | 431 | 30.8 |
| Dionne Warwick Institute | PK-5 | 412 | 13.7 |
| Patrick F. Healy Middle School | 6-8 | 329 | 15.7 |
| Whitney E. Houston Academy | PK-8 | 327 | 11.3 |
Towns near East Orange
- Ampere North, NJ1.3 mi · 5,132 people · home $365,600
- City of Orange, NJ1.3 mi · 34,447 people · home $365,500
- Watsessing, NJ1.6 mi · 8,078 people · home $435,400
- Silver Lake, NJ1.8 mi · 4,730 people · home $448,300
- East Newark, NJ2.7 mi · 2,594 people · home $470,300
- Glen Ridge, NJ2.8 mi · 7,802 people · home $836,600
- South Orange Village, NJ2.8 mi · 18,484 people · home $866,600
- Irvington, NJ3.0 mi · 61,176 people · home $335,600
East Orange questions
Is East Orange, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Orange scores better for retirees than 3% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 2%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in East Orange?
The median owner-occupied home in East Orange is valued at $365,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,830, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $1,441 a month.
What is the weather like in East Orange?
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 East Orange get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Orange since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 31, 2019. 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)