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

24/7 Wall Street is out with its list of the 50 worst cities to live in. A popular Jersey Shore town showed up this time around, and I've got something to say about it.

Asbury Park.

At least it was #46, and lower on the list.

As any local will tell you, there are two parts of Asbury Park. There's the beautiful and trendy boardwalk with boutiques and amazing restaurants, and then there's the part of the town that is struggling and has been for a long time.

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.

I still believe the Asbury Park comeback is strong and will continue. I'm proud to call Asbury Park home all summer as we broadcast live from the New Jersey Natural Gas Asbury Park boardwalk studio.

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