Is Hawthorne, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Hawthorne is a small city of 19,456 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $105,168 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Hawthorne stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Hawthorne is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Hawthorne city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 112.5Hawthorne's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Hawthorne costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Hawthorne, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $481,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,746 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $105,168 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHawthorne's violent crime rate is 25.1 per 100,000 residents — 93% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Hawthorne is served primarily by Hawthorne Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Hawthorne, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Hawthorne Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 94.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Hawthorne sees average highs of 39.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 49.4 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Hawthorne, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.3°F |
| Average High — July | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Hawthorne, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,456 | — |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Hawthorne
Hawthorne, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: