Signals
Toms River
Paterson
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs36 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs36 · Bottom 3%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs24 · Bottom 16%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
64 · Top 43%
vs48 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Toms River | Paterson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 94,956 | 158,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,137 | $55,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,592 | $24,403 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,435/sq mi | 18,868/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $403,600 | $360,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,731 | $1,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.9% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.0" | 44.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.4 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.05 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.6% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.0% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.6% | 72.8% | 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
Toms River
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, coastal flooding, hurricane.
Paterson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Toms River
64
Your Score
—
Area Score
Paterson
48
Your Score
43
Area Score
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Full profiles: Toms River, NJ · Paterson, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology