Signals
Lake Hiawatha
Elizabeth
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
80 · Top 13%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
86 · Top 1%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Hiawatha | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,018 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,663 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,549 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,980/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $428,600 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,550 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.91 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.2% | 8.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.7% | 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
Lake Hiawatha
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Lake Hiawatha
78
Your Score
—
Area Score
Elizabeth
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Hiawatha, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology