Independent Living Communities in Bergen County, New Jersey

CaringScore for Bergen County, NJ

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for independent living communities in Bergen was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose independent living communities in Bergen.

CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 6.4, Bergen rates above average for those seeking independent living communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Bergen. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Bergen County, NJ

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for independent living communities in Bergen, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for independent living communities. The HealthScore for Bergen is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 9.3, Bergen rates above average for those seeking independent living communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking independent living communities. At 440.7 physicians per capita, Bergen scores 99.9 percent better than the national average. Bergen scores 200.0 percent better than the national average in geriatricians per capita, with 3.9, and scores 124.6 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 43.8. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Bergen is 81.5 years -- 4.6 percent higher than most of the country. The average life expectancy from birth in Bergen is 81.5 years -- 4.6 percent higher than most of the country. and water quality -- another key measure of Bergen's environmental health -- trails the national average by 27.3 percent.

Doctors Per Capita	Bergen County, NJ	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	440.7	220.5
Geriatricians	3.9	1.3
Cardiologists	21.2	7.7
Oncologists	7.2	3.5
Orthopedists	11.5	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Bergen County, NJ

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for independent living communities in Bergen, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for independent living communities. The CostScore for Bergen is based on data such as the average monthly cost of independent living communities in the region, the cost of housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 1.9, the costs associated with independent living communities in Bergen are generally more expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at independent living communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Bergen. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of independent living communities in Bergen to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Bergen indexes at 61.0 percent higher than the national average. Average healthcare costs are 16.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing is 146.0 percent more expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Bergen County, NJ
Aggregate Index	161
Healthcare Index	116
Housing Index	246
Food Index	131
Utilities Index	152
Transportation Index	109

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Bergen County, NJ

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for independent living communities in Bergen. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for independent living communities. The LivabilityScore for Bergen is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 8.1, Bergen rates above average for independent living communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for independent living communities. The sun shines an average of 207 days each year in Bergen, which is about average in the U.S. With an average temperature of 22°F in January, winters in Bergen tend to be similar to other parts of the country, and summers often mirror nationwide seasonal trends, averaging 86°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Bergen is 50.0 percent lower than the national average, and the property crime rate is 50.0 percent lower than average. At $83,371 per year, the population of Bergen earns a better than average median household income. Bergen has an unemployment rate of 7.90 percent, roughly 13.2 percent lower than the national average. And about 15.36 percent of the population in Bergen is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which exceeds the national average by 16.7 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Bergen	"Nat'l Avg"
Parks	1.1	136.1
Libraries	7	18.8
Places of Worship	56.8	220.5
Public Transit	5195.7	110.4
Grocery Stores	126.8	97.7
Pharmacies	17.2	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65