New Rochelle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
North Plainfield
New Rochelle
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
20 · Bottom 8%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs92 · Top 49%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | North Plainfield | New Rochelle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,809 | 82,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,349 | $109,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,706 | $68,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,126/sq mi | 8,047/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,700 | $702,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,752 | $1,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.3% | 53.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 47.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 42.3 | 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
North Plainfield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
New Rochelle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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North Plainfield
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
New Rochelle
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: North Plainfield, NJ · New Rochelle, NY · How this is calculated: methodology