The Town FilesPenns Grove, New Jersey
Borough in Salem County · population 4,837 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,200
- Household income
- $45,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 25.1
Penns Grove is a borough of 4,837 people in Salem County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $178,200, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks easier by car than 86% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 85% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 82% of New Jersey towns.
How Penns Grove 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 Penns Grove is worth $178,200, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $45,781, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,117 a month. 35.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penns Grove | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,200 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,117 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $45,781 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 35.0% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Penns Grove
| People | Penns Grove | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.0% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 42.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 44.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 94.6% |
Weather in Penns Grove
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 50.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penns Grove since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 28, 1961 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 8, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 22, 2014.
Severe weather in Salem County since 1996
Salem County has been included in 26 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 Salem County
Salem County had 21,587 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,562 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Penns Grove itself the ACS puts it at 13%.
Public schools in Penns Grove
2 public schools with 784 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penns Grove Middle School | 6-8 | 465 | 11.9 |
| Paul W Carleton | 4-5 | 319 | 11.4 |
Towns near Penns Grove
- Carneys Point, NJ1.5 mi · 7,841 people · home $193,300
- Carneys Point, NJ2.6 mi · 8,637 people · home $201,500
- Edgemoor, DE2.7 mi · 6,635 people · home $290,400
- Wilmington, DE3.4 mi · 70,898 people · home $231,400
- Claymont, DE5.2 mi · 9,895 people · home $276,600
- Pilesgrove, NJ5.7 mi · 4,183 people · home $383,300
- Pennsville, NJ5.7 mi · 12,043 people · home $207,600
- Beckett, NJ6.1 mi · 4,834 people · home $313,400
Penns Grove questions
Is Penns Grove, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penns Grove scores better for retirees than 0% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 1%. 9.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.1).
How much does a house cost in Penns Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Penns Grove is valued at $178,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,781, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,117 a month.
What is the weather like in Penns Grove?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.3 inches of precipitation a year and 12.0 inches of snow.
Does Penns Grove get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penns Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 28, 1961. 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)