08872 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
08879
08872
Opportunity
70 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 17%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Access
95 · Top 39%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs77 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 08879 | 08872 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,556 | 20,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,786 | $97,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,799 | $45,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,326/sq mi | 2,136/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $389,800 | $447,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,660 | $1,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 53 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 76.7% | 76.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 33.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.30 | 13.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.1% | 46.6% | 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
08879
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
08872
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Full profiles: 08879 — Sayreville, NJ · 08872 — Sayreville, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology