Signals
Lake Hopatcong
Elizabeth
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
76 · Top 14%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Hopatcong | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,259 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $117,625 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,717 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,389/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,200 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,686 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.7% | 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 | 46.4% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 30 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.0 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 9.83 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.5% | 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 Hopatcong
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Lake Hopatcong
75
Your Score
—
Area Score
Elizabeth
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Hopatcong, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology