Jersey Shore Town Named One Of 'The 50 Worst Cities To Live In'

24/7 Wall Street is out with a list of the 50 worst cities to live in. A popular Jersey Shore town showed up this time around.

Asbury Park.

At least it was #46 and lower on the list. However, I call bull.

As any local will tell you, Asbury Park has many unique areas, just like any other town.

First, there's the iconic, beautiful, and trendy boardwalk. The ocean views are breathtaking and you can feel the history of the town as each foot hits the boards.

What about the thriving stretch that is Cookman Avenue? I challenge anyone to find a strip with better dining options. What could be considered Asbury's "restaurant row," Cookman is lined with every possible cuisine known to man.

Don't forget about the bougie condos and apartments that are way out of my price range.

Most importantly, there the community. I've spent over seven summers broadcasting from the New Jersey Natural Gas Asbury Park Studio. Passersby whether they're visitors or local are always smiling and sending great vibes.

The majority of those that reside in Asbury Park are tight-knit. They stick together and support each other. The LGBTQ community is strong, proud, and accepting. They should be an example of love for other towns and cities across the country.

Are there areas of Asbury Park that are troubled? Yes. They have been for some time. However, that hasn't stopped this Jersey Shore gem of a town from rebuilding, reinventing, and rebounding.

The Asbury Park comeback has made a lot of progress, and it's only going to get better from here.

That's why I'm proud to call Asbury Park my favorite Jersey Shore destination.

Before I demonize 24/7 Wall Street, let me explain the numbers they looked at to come to this conclusion.

The list of these towns was measured based on affordability, economy, quality of life, and community. Here are Asbury Park's numbers:

Population: 15,830
Poverty rate: 30.4% (top 10%)
2017 violent crimes per 100,000 people: 1,361 (top 10%)
Median home value: $335,500 (top 25%)

24/7 Wall Street said:

The typical household in the city earns just $39,324 a year, about $18,000 less than the typical American household. Low-income residents are strained further by the area’s high cost of living. Asbury Park is located within the broader New York City metro area, one of the most expensive regions of the country, and goods and services in the city are 22.4% more expensive than average.
The city’s low incomes and a high cost of living likely contribute to widespread food insecurity in Asbury Park. Additionally, more than one in every three city residents have limited access to a grocery store or large supermarket.

There's a lot of truth there. But, there are also parts of Asbury Park that are very expensive to live in and that would require a pretty high income.

Other New Jersey cities that made the top 50 worst to live in include Trenton (#29) and Bridgeton (#13)