Is Mountain Lakes, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Mountain Lakes is a small town of 4,499 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $250,001 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Mountain Lakes stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Mountain Lakes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Mountain Lakes 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: 112.5Mountain Lakes's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Mountain Lakes costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Mountain Lakes, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $869,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,501 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 96.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $250,001 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMountain Lakes's violent crime rate is 27.0 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
Mountain Lakes is served primarily by Mountain Lakes Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Mountain Lakes, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Mountain Lakes Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 8.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 80.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Mountain Lakes sees average highs of 37.6°F in January and 85.4°F in July, with 49.5 inches of annual precipitation and 28.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Mountain Lakes, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 37.6°F |
| Average High — July | 85.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Mountain Lakes, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,499 | — |
| Median Age | 43.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 34.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 82.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 13.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 33.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Mountain Lakes
Mountain Lakes, NJ is covered by 1 ZIP code: