Signals
Short Hills
Elizabeth
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
99 · Top 1%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
82 · Top 5%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Short Hills | Elizabeth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,923 | 137,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $66,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $164,794 | $28,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,839/sq mi | 11,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,674,100 | $449,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,126 | $1,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.5% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 92.6% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 45.8 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.01 | 13.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 72.1% | 8.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 78.4% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 2.0% | 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
Short Hills
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Elizabeth
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Short Hills
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
Elizabeth
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Short Hills, NJ · Elizabeth, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology