Freehold receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Freehold
Elizabeth
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs66 · Top 22%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 22%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Freehold | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,507 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,707 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,474/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $416,800 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,832 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.8% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 319 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 175.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.6" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Freehold
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake, hurricane.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Freehold, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology