Ocean City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ocean City
Atlantic City
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 28%
vs38 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 15%
vs44 · Bottom 6%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs25 · Bottom 16%
Access
93 · Top 48%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Ocean City | Atlantic City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,261 | 38,632 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $101,782 | $41,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,999 | $26,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,668/sq mi | 3,590/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $840,500 | $207,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,683 | $1,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.7% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 161 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.3 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.3% | 109.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 56.1 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 8.03 | 10.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.0% | 6.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.0% | 24.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 20.5% | 87.9% | 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
Ocean City
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, strong wind, hurricane.
Atlantic City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, coastal flooding, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Ocean City
58
Your Score
56
Area Score
Atlantic City
48
Your Score
44
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Ocean City, NJ · Atlantic City, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology