Hopatcong receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hopatcong
Newark
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs34 · Bottom 2%
Schools
50 · Bottom 48%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Hopatcong | Newark | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,565 | 310,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,758 | $52,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,016 | $27,193 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,338/sq mi | 12,847/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $340,700 | $373,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,777 | $1,392 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.1% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 6.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 13 | 2,472 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.8% | -4.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.8" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.8 min | 35.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.12 | 16.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.2% | 9.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.4% | 29.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.3% | 81.7% | 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
Hopatcong
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Newark
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hopatcong, NJ · Newark, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology