Westwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Metuchen
Westwood
Opportunity
71 · Top 20%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs93 · Top 26%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs91 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs78 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Metuchen | Westwood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,144 | 11,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $158,052 | $165,781 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,224 | $65,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,338/sq mi | 4,995/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $604,300 | $606,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,078 | $2,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.1% | 57.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 7.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -97.2% | -18.2% | 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 | 46.6" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 40.3 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Metuchen
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Westwood
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Full profiles: Metuchen, NJ · Westwood, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology