City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Old Tappan, NJ

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

5,896
Residents
$199,250
Median income
$910,600
Median home
$2,324
Median rent (state)

Old Tappan - the verdict

Old Tappan ranks in the 98th percentile for household income and the 95th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

98th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
89th
percentile, median rent
95th
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: Old Tappan, NJ

5,896 people live in Old Tappan, New Jersey - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Old Tappan brings in $199,250 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.1%. Typical homes in Old Tappan are valued around $910,600, and the median resident age is 44.8 years. Educational attainment runs 76.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 49 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 513% from five years earlier. Old Tappan reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 238.8 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: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,324 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across New Jersey, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

5,896 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Jersey

Median Household Income

$199,250 /yr

Poverty 2.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

How does Old Tappan compare to other US cities?

Where Old Tappan sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 98% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 89% pricier than other cities
Safety 95% 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, Old Tappan ranks #16 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

Each percentile compares Old Tappan against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Jersey only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Jersey-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Old Tappan's strongest outlier among New Jersey cities

Among the 686 New Jersey cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Old Tappan ranks #34 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Old Tappan only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#53 of 659
92nd percentile in New Jersey
Median Gross Rent
#221 of 686
57th percentile in New Jersey
Median Home Value
#47 of 672
93rd percentile in New Jersey
Poverty Rate
#415 of 680
38th percentile in New Jersey
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#34 of 686
95th percentile in New Jersey

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Jersey only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

98thIncome percentile
95thSafety percentile

98th percentile nationally for median household income · 95th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Old Tappan's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Old Tappan'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 67 Avg. percentile National median
Old Tappan'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 Old Tappan's home value compares nationally

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

$910,600 4th percentile more affordable than 4% 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%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Old Tappan $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 - Old Tappan, NJ Old Tappan, NJ's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Old Tappan, 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 Old Tappan, NJ median $199,250/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%
Old Tappan, 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 Old Tappan, NJ. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 76.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

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

Population
5,896
Median Income
$199,250
Median Home Value
$910,600
Median Age
44.8
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
76.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
238.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
47.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
191.0
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 →
5,500 residents6,000 residents6,500 residents7,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,869 residents 6,686 residents ▲ +13.9%
Old Tappan's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
49
housing units authorized
Single-Family
46
detached homes
Multifamily
3
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 12
2021 87
2022 159
2023 50
2024 49

Permit volume increased 513% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.6%
Carpool
3.1%
Public Transit
4.9%
Walk
3.8%
Work from Home
17.5%
Other
4.1%

Based on 2,612 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 Old Tappan sits in

Cost of Living Index
108.8
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,324/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Jersey

Mount Arlington
5,901 people
Manasquan
5,915 people
Vauxhall
5,875 people
Hightstown
5,869 people
Belmar
5,861 people
Finderne
5,968 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Old Tappan's 5,896 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hidden Valley Lake, CA
5,896 people
Krum, TX
5,896 people
Metropolis, IL
5,898 people
Stroudsburg, PA
5,898 people
Hempstead, TX
5,899 people
Crawfordville, FL
5,892 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Old Tappan's $199,250 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenwood, MN
$199,063 median income
Adamstown, MD
$198,993 median income
Sterling Ranch, CO
$198,750 median income
River Hills, WI
$198,750 median income
Moraga, CA
$199,800 median income
Cross Mountain, TX
$198,623 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Old Tappan, 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 Old Tappan, NJ - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 55.0% 40.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.6% White 55.0% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 40.7% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 3.7% 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 Old Tappan 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
Old Tappan (this city) 5,896 $199,250
Mount Arlington 5,901 $99,511
Manasquan 5,915 $156,542
Vauxhall 5,875 $106,962
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NJ FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Old Tappan, NJ?

What is the population of Old Tappan, NJ? +

Old Tappan, NJ counts 5,896 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Old Tappan, NJ? +

In Old Tappan, the typical household earns $199,250 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Old Tappan? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Old Tappan; 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 Old Tappan, NJ safe? +

Old Tappan has a total crime rate of 238.8 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 Old Tappan, NJ? +

A typical home in Old Tappan is worth $910,600, 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

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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.