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
Hackensack
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs44 · Bottom 38%
Climate
70 · Bottom 47%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 22%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Freehold | Hackensack | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,507 | 46,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,707 | $84,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $49,360 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,474/sq mi | 10,990/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $416,800 | $393,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,832 | $1,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.8% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 12.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 138 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -51.2% | 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" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 41.8 | 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.
Hackensack
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Freehold
62
Your Score
59
Area Score
Hackensack
60
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Freehold, NJ · Hackensack, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology