08904 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
07506
08904
Opportunity
67 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 20%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs34 · Bottom 24%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs63 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs66 · Top 32%
Access
93 · Top 49%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
82 · Top 8%
vs79 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 07506 | 08904 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,628 | 15,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $110,237 | $104,694 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,062 | $58,731 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,916/sq mi | 8,304/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $533,700 | $471,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,830 | $1,873 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 40.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.0% | 69.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 37 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.8% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.4 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.54 | 10.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.8% | 23.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.7% | 44.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.6% | 45.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
07506
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
08904
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Full profiles: 07506 — Hawthorne, NJ · 08904 — Highland Park, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology