Newark vs Woodland Park

Which is the better fit for you?

Newark, NJ
53
Area Score
Bottom 29% nationally
Woodland Park, NJ
56
Area Score
Bottom 42% nationally

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Woodland Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from Newark to Woodland Park

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 112.6 against 112.6 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
+$155 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $2,360 in Woodland Park against $2,205 in Newark.
The median home
33% more
$497,600 in Woodland Park against $373,700 in Newark.
The weather you would swap
Winters 3°F colder
Normal January lows are 23°F in Woodland Park against 26°F in Newark; July highs are 85°F against 87°F (summers 2°F cooler).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

Newark
Woodland Park
Opportunity: Woodland Park is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs
64 · Top 34%
Growth: Newark is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs
39 · Bottom 27%
Climate: Newark is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs
65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience: Newark is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs
36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability: Woodland Park is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 24%
vs
59 · Bottom 33%
Schools: Woodland Park is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
25 · Bottom 18%
vs
57 · Top 41%
Access: Newark is the more favorable of the two.
Access
99 · Top 16%
vs
96 · Top 35%
Economic stability: Woodland Park is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 13%
vs
74 · Top 14%

Measured values

MetricNewarkWoodland ParkSource period
Population310,17813,3552024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$52,060$98,845 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$27,193$45,699 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density12,847/sq mi4,543/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$373,700$497,6002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,392 — more favorable$1,8392024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$2,205 — more favorable$2,360FY2026
Cost of living index112.6112.62023
Homeownership rate24.4%63.0%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate6.9%5.3% — more favorableJuly 2026
Employment change (year over year)+1.8%+2.5% — more favorableJuly 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher19.7%41.7% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate23.5%3.9% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)2,472112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents8.0 — more favorable0.112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−4.7%0.0%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high87°F85°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low26°F23°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation46.6"44.9"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport2 mi — more favorable14 miNASR current cycle
Average commute35.3 min24.9 min — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age34.742.72024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools8392024-25 school year
Students per teacher16.712.5 — more favorable2024-25 school year
Math proficiency32.3%42.5% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency43.7%58.5% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility81.7%48.2%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.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Physical risk tradeoff

Newark

Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.

Woodland Park

Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

Newark
—
Newark: Your Score
53
Area Score
Woodland Park
—
Woodland Park: Your Score
56
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Newark, NJ · Woodland Park, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology