Wallington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Garfield
Wallington
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 21%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs60 · Top 38%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Garfield | Wallington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,783 | 11,889 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,700 | $85,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,515 | $42,477 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15,530/sq mi | 11,961/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $475,500 | $528,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,688 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.7% | 37.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 38.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | -95.2% | 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" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 32.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 38.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.27 | 13.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.4% | 24.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.5% | 46.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.8% | 50.0% | 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.
Wallington
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.
Garfield
60
Your Score
57
Area Score
Wallington
63
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Garfield, NJ · Wallington, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology