Population 5,054 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Highlands
Household size in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.12 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.84 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.99 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Highlands is a place of small households, averaging 1.99 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.09 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only seven have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.5 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.2 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.0, Highlands is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.5, in line with the national trend. Highlands is older than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Highlands as they are nationally: 11.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Highlands
Renters in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.8% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.6% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Highlands is about as common as it is nationally: 37.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the New York area overall (48.6%). Nearly half of owners (47.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 10.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Highlands is close to the national rate: 10.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the New York area as a whole (7.9%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 8.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Highlands is a place of older homes: half were built before 1966, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Still, homes here are newer than in the wider New York area, where the median home dates to 1962. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,319 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,205 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,354 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,640 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$321 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Highlands costs $1,640 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the New York area overall ($2,060). Rents are up $321 a month from 2006–10, a 24% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Highlands
Bachelor's degrees in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.8% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Highlands is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (50.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Highlands: 94.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Highlands
| Period | Highlands | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Highlands: 7.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Highlands compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | 1.99 | 48.0 | 11.4% | 37.5% | 10.0% | 1966 | $1,640 | 50.8% | 94.6% | 7.7% |
| Atlantic Highlands | 2.32 | 50.2 | 4.3% | 31.7% | 4.9% | 1967 | $1,784 | 51.0% | 93.8% | 3.4% |
| Rumson | 2.93 | 43.8 | 6.6% | 6.6% | 3.7% | 1967 | $2,859 | 81.0% | 99.0% | 4.3% |
| Sea Bright | 1.84 | 55.1 | 2.1% | 30.4% | 19.0% | 1974 | $2,456 | 60.8% | 99.6% | 6.4% |
| Leonardo | 2.64 | 41.2 | 5.8% | 10.1% | 3.4% | 1963 | $1,697 | 51.2% | 98.7% | 9.2% |
| Fair Haven | 3.03 | 41.2 | 7.3% | 10.2% | 6.6% | 1957 | $3,473 | 85.7% | 99.5% | 4.2% |
| Monmouth Beach | 2.21 | 55.9 | 6.9% | 16.5% | 12.2% | 1976 | $2,244 | 65.8% | 98.1% | 5.1% |
| Belford | 2.73 | 42.4 | 4.5% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 1966 | $1,435 | 42.7% | 94.7% | 7.4% |
| Little Silver | 2.75 | 43.9 | 2.4% | 5.7% | 2.3% | 1959 | $3,445 | 81.4% | 99.7% | 3.4% |
| Red Bank | 2.40 | 44.4 | 6.2% | 33.3% | 3.9% | 1961 | $2,244 | 52.0% | 91.5% | 4.0% |
| Oceanport | 2.42 | 51.9 | 7.8% | 6.8% | 9.2% | 1974 | $346 | 57.0% | 98.6% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fulton, IL · Franklin, NJ · Franklinville, NC · Franksville, WI · Fredericksburg, OH · Fredonia, WI · Freedom, PA · Freeland, PA · Freeland, WA · French Island, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Highlands. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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