City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Highlands, NJ

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Highlands - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,575
Residents
$90,082
Median income
$394,800
Median home
$2,328
Median rent (state)

Highlands - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Highlands places in the 71st percentile for household income and the 81st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
90th
percentile, median rent
81st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Highlands, NJ

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,575 residents in Highlands, a small town within New Jersey. Median household income here is $90,082 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.2%. Typical homes in Highlands are valued around $394,800, and the median resident age is 49.3 years. About 53.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 41 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 116% from five years earlier. Highlands reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 613.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts New Jersey at 108.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,328 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Jersey run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

4,575 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$90,082 /yr

Poverty 2.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Highlands compare to other US cities?

Highlands measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 90% pricier than other cities
Safety 81% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at New Jersey, Highlands ranks #67 of 238 New Jersey cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Highlands's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Jersey, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

71stIncome percentile
81stSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 81st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Highlands's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Highlands's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Highlands's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Highlands's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$394,800 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Highlands $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Highlands, NJ Highlands, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Highlands, NJ-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Highlands, NJ median $90,082/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Highlands, NJ's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Highlands, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 53.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,575
Median Income
$90,082
Median Home Value
$394,800
Median Age
49.3
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Labor force participation
54.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
53.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
613.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
117.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
495.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,300 residents4,400 residents4,500 residents4,600 residents4,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,616 residents 4,350 residents ▼ -5.8%
Highlands's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
41
housing units authorized
Single-Family
28
detached homes
Multifamily
13
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 19
2020 18
2021 24
2022 31
2023 41
2024 41

Permit volume increased 116% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
56.4%
Carpool
4.3%
Public Transit
10.3%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
22.8%
Other
5.4%

Based on 2,176 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Jersey - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Jersey state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Jersey state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Highlands sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,328/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Mullica Hill
4,561 people
Neptune City
4,607 people
Blackwood
4,615 people
Mountain Lakes
4,535 people
Panther Valley
4,622 people
Mount Ephraim
4,648 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Highlands's 4,575 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Glen Head, NY
4,575 people
East Petersburg, PA
4,575 people
Gates, NY
4,576 people
Coopertown, TN
4,576 people
Beavercreek, OR
4,577 people
Wapato, WA
4,577 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Highlands's $90,082 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dixonville, PA
$90,081 median income
Lowell, OR
$90,078 median income
Suffolk, VA
$90,089 median income
Lake Wazeecha, WI
$90,074 median income
Central, LA
$90,091 median income
Cornelius, OR
$90,071 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Highlands, NJ Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Highlands, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.4% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.6% White 83.4% Black or African American 3.9% Asian 5.6% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 7.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Highlands compares to nearby New Jersey cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Highlands (this city) 4,575 $90,082
Mullica Hill 4,561 $133,750
Neptune City 4,607 $82,872
Blackwood 4,615 $81,154
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Highlands, NJ?

What is the population of Highlands, NJ? +

The population of Highlands, NJ stands at 4,575 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Highlands, NJ? +

The median household income in Highlands is $90,082 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Highlands? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Highlands; the closest available measure is the New Jersey state average, a cost of living index of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Jersey vary by metro area.

Is Highlands, NJ safe? +

Highlands has a total crime rate of 613.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Highlands, NJ? +

Highlands's median home value sits at $394,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.