Garfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Garfield
Elizabeth
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs66 · Top 22%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Garfield | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,783 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,700 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,515 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15,530/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $475,500 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,688 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.7% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 319 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | 175.0% | 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 | 46.3" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.27 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.4% | 8.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.5% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.8% | 83.0% | 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
Garfield
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Garfield, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology