Middlesex receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Middlesex
Bayonne
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs55 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Middlesex | Bayonne | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,645 | 71,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $83,887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,617 | $42,565 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,199/sq mi | 12,292/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $446,400 | $460,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,416 | $1,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 36.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 39.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 97 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -48.4% | -31.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 36.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.3 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.39 | 11.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.1% | 12.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.1% | 66.1% | 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
Middlesex
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Bayonne
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Middlesex, NJ · Bayonne, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology