Signals
Lake Hiawatha
Paterson
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Schools
80 · Top 13%
vs24 · Bottom 16%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
86 · Top 1%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Hiawatha | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,018 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,663 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,549 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,980/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $428,600 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,550 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.3% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.91 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.2% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.7% | 72.8% | 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.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Lake Hiawatha
78
Your Score
—
Area Score
Paterson
48
Your Score
43
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Hiawatha, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology