City · Camden County, New Jersey

Camden, New Jersey

Camden is a city in Camden County, New Jersey, part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area. It has 71,496 residents. Camden, New Jersey has a quality-of-life score of 24 out of 100 (low), ranking #11,959 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within New Jersey it ranks #537 of 552 cities and towns. It ranks best on distance to an Amtrak station (low), public transit commuters (high) and suicide rate (low). It ranks worst on high school diploma or higher (low), child poverty rate (high) and physical inactivity (high).

24Low

Quality-of-life score: #11,959 of 15,651 cities and towns
New Jersey: #537 of 552 in NJ
Population: 71,496 (2020-2024)
Land area: 9 mi²
Density: 8,016.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 3410000

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety45#8,620/15,637
Economy2#15,248/15,631
Housing11#13,255/14,977
Health27#11,331/15,609
Healthcare69#4,870/15,650
Environment42#8,947/15,453
Education20#12,578/15,649
Infrastructure32#10,667/15,650
Community46#8,392/15,651
Leisure & amenities57#6,747/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Camden, New Jersey ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Camden County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Distance to an Amtrak station · low3 mi
99/100New Jersey 11 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauCamden County value
Public transit commuters · high11.1%
98/100New Jersey 8.1%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Suicide rate · low6.3 /100k
96/100New Jersey 8.0 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataCamden County value
Firearm deaths · low3.4 /100k
94/100New Jersey 4.0 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataCamden County value
Depression · low17.1%
94/100New Jersey 15.6%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Mental health care shortage · low0.0
91/100New Jersey 1.2United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationCamden County value

Weaknesses

High school diploma or higher · low69.2%
1/100New Jersey 90.7%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Child poverty rate · high38.9%
1/100New Jersey 11.8%United States 15.5%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Physical inactivity · high44.4%
1/100New Jersey 23.8%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Food insecurity · high44.3%
1/100New Jersey 15.0%United States 15.6%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Lack of reliable transportation · high21.0%
2/100New Jersey 7.8%United States 8.3%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Poverty rate · high30.2%
2/100New Jersey 9.2%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
63.9% (2015-2019) → 86.4% (2020-2024)
+22 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New homes permittedWorsening
0.2 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−86%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Median household incomeImproving
$27,015 (2015-2019) → $40,546 (2020-2024)
+50%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Child poverty rateImproving
47.4% (2015-2019) → 38.9% (2020-2024)
−8.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateImproving
36.4% (2015-2019) → 30.2% (2020-2024)
−6.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
64.8% (2015-2019) → 60.1% (2020-2024)
−4.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Camden, New Jersey improved on 4 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Broadband+22 points63.9% → 86.4%
Poverty−6.2 points36.4% → 30.2%
Household income+50%$27,015 → $40,546
Child poverty−8.5 points47.4% → 38.9%

Declined2

Uninsured+3.8 points12.7% → 16.5%
Transit use−3 points14.0% → 11.1%

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of Camden, New Jersey between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.9 min2015-2019	23.8 min2020-2024	−2.2 min	Within the margin of error	72%
Bachelor's degree or higher	9.8%2015-2019	10.1%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Broadband subscriptions	63.9%2015-2019	86.4%2020-2024	+22 points	Improved	93%
Child poverty rate	47.4%2015-2019	38.9%2020-2024	−8.5 points	Improved	79%
Effective property tax rate	2.17%2015-2019	1.80%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	82%
High school diploma or higher	67.7%2015-2019	69.2%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Home price to income ratio	3.1×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	−0.3×	Within the margin of error	91%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5002015-2019	0.4852020-2024	−0.015	Within the margin of error	64%
Median household income	$27,0152015-2019	$40,5462020-2024	+50%	Improved	85%
Poverty rate	36.4%2015-2019	30.2%2020-2024	−6.2 points	Improved	85%
Public transit commuters	14.0%2015-2019	11.1%2020-2024	−3 points	Declined	10%
Rent as share of income	38.7%2015-2019	37.0%2020-2024	−1.7 points	Within the margin of error	67%
Rent-burdened households	64.8%2015-2019	60.1%2020-2024	−4.7 points	Within the margin of error	71%
Unemployment rate	12.9%2015-2019	14.5%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	20%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	12.7%2015-2019	16.5%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Declined	15%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Camden, New Jersey five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Camden, New Jersey in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Camden, New Jersey itself moved +8.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

71,496 residents (±93)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

24,443 households (±755)

Camden, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Under $25k32%7,733
$25k–50k27%6,555
$50k–75k15%3,596

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

24,443 households (±755)

Camden, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Own34%8,418
Rent66%16,025

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−4.9 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

25,966 workers (±1,182)

Camden, New Jersey
New Jersey share

Drive alone55%14,179
Carpool18%4,752
Public transit11%2,874

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Camden County, the county holding most of Camden's residents.

Camden County has 11,541 employer establishments, 218 for every 10,000 residents (0.88× the US rate of 248; 0.86× New Jersey's), with 190,853 paid employees at an average annual pay of $61,930. The Census Bureau also counts 41,655 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 11,541; 41,655 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 218; US 248 · New Jersey 253
Paid employees: 190,853
Average annual pay: $61,930; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Camden County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,235	23.3	1.12×About typical	17,618	$67,714	2,232
Restaurants and other eating places	885	16.7	0.91×About typical	13,882	$24,204	281
Specialty trade contractors	644	12.2	0.78×Fewer than typical	7,295	$77,119	1,830
Limited-service restaurants	422	8	0.99×About typical	5,883	$21,638	149
Offices of physicians	388	7.3	1.13×About typical	5,865	$91,293	433
Legal services	377	7.1	1.32×More than typical	2,704	$105,121	518
Personal care services	359	6.8	1.42×More than typical	2,059	$24,483	1,376
Lessors of real estate	357	6.7	0.55×Fewer than typical	1,889	$68,936	4,645
Services to buildings and dwellings	345	6.5	0.97×About typical	2,907	$39,840	1,671
Full-service restaurants	334	6.3	0.82×About typical	6,417	$27,614	91
Construction of buildings	333	6.3	0.83×About typical	1,557	$75,353	947
Offices of other health practitioners	319	6	0.99×About typical	3,444	$57,525	1,058

Rank places for an industry Open Camden County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 529,977 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $144M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Camden, New Jersey: $2,014 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $144M; −21% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2,014; US $1,994
Sole-source: 14%; US 30%
Single offer: 34%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

L3 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.$114M79%
L3 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.$15.2M11%
CORIELL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH, INC.$11.1M7.7%
R F PRODUCTS, INC$1.3M0.9%
SPOTLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION$881K0.6%

Spending by fiscal year

36.9MFY2017
45.3MFY2018
44.3MFY2019
111.1MFY2020
87.9MFY2021
114.6MFY2022
127.9MFY2023
158.2M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$61.3M43%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$61M42%
Communications equipment manufacturing · 3342$18.6M13%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1.7M1.2%
Facilities support services · 5612$631K0.4%
Motor vehicle manufacturing · 3361

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Camden, New Jersey

DEFENSE EXPERIMENTATION USING COMMERCIAL SPACE INTERNET CALL 003 - MULTI-BAND, MULTI-ORBIT SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIMENTS$186.1M
L3 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.· Camden County, NJ· Research & development· May 17, 2023 – May 28, 2026· FA865023C9311
DSU-43/B SENSOR,PROXIMITY BOMB$61.1M
L3 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.· Camden County, NJ· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· May 28, 2026 – May 28, 2026· FA821326FB031
AIR FORCE AND ARMY ANTI-JAM MODEM DEVELOPMENT AND PRE-PRODUCTION$58.6M
L3 TECHNOLOGIES, INC.· Camden County, NJ· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 27, 2020 – May 27, 2026· FA880820F0002
SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH) REPOSITORY AND GENOMICS RESOURCE (NRGR)

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Camden, New Jersey, so they do not add up across cities.

Camden, New Jersey's figures are part of those of Camden County, NJ ($395.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 36% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Camden is mostly in Camden County.

See federal money in Camden County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Camden, New Jersey is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Donald NorcrossD-NJ-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 14.1%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Camden County68100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD73

Other cities and towns in Camden County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3410000

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends