Signals
Budd Lake
Lake Hopatcong
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs76 · Top 12%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs93 · Top 24%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
86 · Top 1%
vs76 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Budd Lake | Lake Hopatcong | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,650 | 10,259 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,154 | $117,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,420 | $57,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,956/sq mi | 1,389/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $456,100 | $424,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,402 | $1,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.8% | 91.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.3% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 4.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 35.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 46.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.33 | 9.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 22.5% | 15.5% | 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
Budd Lake
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Lake Hopatcong
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Budd Lake
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
Lake Hopatcong
75
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Budd Lake, NJ · Lake Hopatcong, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology