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Is Highland Park, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Highland Park is a small city of 14,996 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $93,927 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Highland Park stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Highland Park is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Highland Park 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: 112.5Highland Park's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highland Park costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Highland Park, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $420,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,755 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $93,927 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHighland Park's violent crime rate is 150.7 per 100,000 residents — 60% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Highland Park is served primarily by Highland Park Boro School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Highland Park, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Highland Park Boro School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Highland Park sees average highs of 40.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 49.5 inches of annual precipitation and 29.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Highland Park, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.3°F |
| Average High — July | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Highland Park, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,996 | — |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 59.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 21.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Highland Park
Highland Park, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: