Hackensack, NJ
Census place 3428680 · pop 46,057
Home of the USS Ling, a WWII-era submarine that served as a Navy museum on the Hackensack River.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
36.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.45% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,595/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
29 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
10 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2029 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$393,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
246 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$84,277 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
42.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
Frequently asked
- Is Hackensack, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Hackensack scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult smoking and its weakest is homeownership. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Hackensack, NJ?
- Hackensack reports 246 violent crimes per 100k and 2029 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Hackensack, NJ expensive to live in?
- Hackensack has a median home value of $393,700 and typical rent around $2,595/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Hackensack, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (36.6%) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Hackensack, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult smoking (10.0%) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the USS Ling, a WWII-era submarine that served as a Navy museum on the Hackensack River.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.