Westfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Westwood
Westfield
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs86 · Top 3%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
91 · Bottom 49%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Westwood | Westfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,283 | 31,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $165,781 | $232,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,689 | $107,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,995/sq mi | 4,627/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $606,400 | $953,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,458 | $2,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 81.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.0% | 78.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 1.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.2% | 40.0% | 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 | 46.3" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 39.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.4 | 40.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Westwood
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Westfield
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Westwood, NJ · Westfield, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology