Wood-Ridge receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wood-Ridge
Jersey City
Opportunity
81 · Top 6%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs72 · Top 14%
Climate
71 · Top 47%
vs71 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 37%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Schools
68 · Top 29%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Wood-Ridge | Jersey City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,218 | 294,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $136,108 | $97,710 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $69,284 | $60,429 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,172/sq mi | 19,940/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $566,200 | $566,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,878 | $2,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.6% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 78 | 2,657 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 9.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.0% | 39.1% | 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 | 12 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 40.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.39 | 12.29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.4% | 18.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.6% | 39.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.6% | 65.7% | 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
Wood-Ridge
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake.
Jersey City
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Wood-Ridge
74
Your Score
71
Area Score
Jersey City
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Wood-Ridge, NJ · Jersey City, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology