Hackettstown receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Phillipsburg
Hackettstown
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 13%
Growth
38 · Bottom 29%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs49 · Bottom 42%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
51 · Top 50%
vs59 · Top 40%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 37%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Phillipsburg | Hackettstown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,299 | 10,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,324 | $93,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,628 | $41,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,794/sq mi | 2,807/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,200 | $361,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,167 | $1,469 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.6% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 37.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 140 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 13.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.3% | -14.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.4" | 48.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 33.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.60 | 10.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.9% | 18.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.8% | 46.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.9% | 38.3% | 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
Phillipsburg
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, inland flooding.
Hackettstown
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Phillipsburg
61
Your Score
61
Area Score
Hackettstown
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Phillipsburg, NJ · Hackettstown, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology