Westfield and River Edge receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Westfield
River Edge
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs82 · Top 5%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 47%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
95 · Top 1%
vs92 · Top 2%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Westfield | River Edge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,111 | 12,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $232,629 | $159,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $107,640 | $75,927 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,627/sq mi | 6,596/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $953,400 | $660,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,357 | $1,879 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.1% | 66.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.8% | 4.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 52 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 40.0% | -1.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 46.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.9 min | 38.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 43.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.62 | 12.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 56.8% | 53.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.3% | 67.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 4.7% | 1.3% | 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
Westfield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
River Edge
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Westfield
77
Your Score
74
Area Score
River Edge
76
Your Score
74
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Westfield, NJ · River Edge, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology