Signals
Oak Ridge
Elizabeth
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
62 · Top 37%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
79 · Top 9%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Oak Ridge | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,954 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $121,875 | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,798 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 823/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $436,100 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.5% | 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 | 42.8% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 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 | 29 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 45.3 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.7 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.96 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.7% | 8.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.8% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.1% | 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
Oak Ridge
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Oak Ridge, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology