Highland Park, NJ

Census place 3431470 · pop 15,121

D54/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in NJ
📍 New Jersey ranks #43 of 50 states →
🏆 Broadband98.1% · top 3%
🚽 Own40.3% · bottom 4%
Taxes
2.12% property · US 0.99%6.60% sales · US 7.00%up to 10.75% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership40.3%4

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

40.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Property-tax burden2.12%8

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

2.12% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Rent$2,375/mo20

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,375/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$471,70022

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$471,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.3%26

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level96/10028

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

96/100 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.

Commute time27 min30

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level5 days36

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

5 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.

Property crime rate1232/100k52

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

1232 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Income inequality0.4353

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Violent crime rate151/100k60

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

151 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Uninsured adults7.7%69

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

7.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poverty rate7.5%72

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+8.9%78

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+8.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$104,69479

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$104,694 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Physical inactivity19.3%81

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

19.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult obesity28.5%82

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

28.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poor mental health13.7%89

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking7.9%93

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

7.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher69.8%96

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

69.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Broadband access98.1%97

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

98.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Frequently asked

Is Highland Park, NJ a good place to live?
By the numbers, Highland Park scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is broadband access 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 Highland Park, NJ?
Highland Park reports 151 violent crimes per 100k and 1232 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Highland Park, NJ expensive to live in?
Highland Park has a median home value of $471,700 and typical rent around $2,375/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Highland Park, NJ?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (40.3%) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Highland Park, NJ best at?
Its strongest measured area is broadband access (98.1%) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.