Ocean City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Atlantic City
Ocean City
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 31%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 6%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Schools
25 · Bottom 16%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs93 · Top 48%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Atlantic City | Ocean City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,632 | 11,261 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $41,028 | $101,782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,937 | $71,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,590/sq mi | 1,668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,400 | $840,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,136 | $1,683 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 30.3% | 72.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 56.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.3% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 161 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 14.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 109.1% | 10.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 56.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.39 | 8.03 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 6.9% | 41.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.4% | 46.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.9% | 20.5% | 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
Atlantic City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, coastal flooding, hurricane.
Ocean City
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, strong wind, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Atlantic City
48
Your Score
44
Area Score
Ocean City
58
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Atlantic City, NJ · Ocean City, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology