The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro is home to 19.8M residents (per 2024 ACS 5-year Estimates ), with a 2024 median household income of $99K, median home value of $614K, median age of 40, and a 44% bachelor's-degree share among adults 25 and older. The analysis below clusters neighborhoods within the metro's urbanized areas, covering 17.9M of those 19.8M residents. Wealth and education concentrate in a tight core around Manhattan and the inner New Jersey suburbs west of Newark, while the lowest values and incomes ring the older industrial cities just inland, the oldest neighborhoods line central and shore New Jersey, and the youngest cluster in Lakewood and along the metro's northern edge.
Median home value
The metro's priciest neighborhoods sit in the dense core: the cluster just north of New York reaches $1.5M, and a cluster around West New York, on the New Jersey side of the Hudson, also hits $1.5M. Two more reach $1.4M and a fifth $1.3M, all within the inner ring. The most affordable neighborhoods lie down the Jersey Shore: the area west of Toms River at $248K and the area south of Jamesburg at $332K, with another shore cluster at $335K and the area west of Newark at $354K. Most of the metro sits in the $600K–$800K and $400K–$600K bands; the ≥$1.0M tier is confined to Manhattan's core, the inner New Jersey suburbs, and pockets of Long Island's North Shore.
Median household income
Incomes peak in the affluent New Jersey suburbs west of Newark, where the cluster north of Summit tops the metro at $224K, followed by clusters at $213K, $209K, $205K, and $199K scattered through the inner-ring suburbs of northern and central New Jersey. The lowest incomes sit in the dense urban core: a North New York cluster reports just $35K, another $36K, with three more between $40K and $54K, several near Paterson and the city center. The ≥$180K tier overlaps the same inner New Jersey band; the under-$80K tier wraps the older industrial cities and parts of the core.
Median age
The oldest neighborhoods cluster in central and shore New Jersey: the area south of Jamesburg has a median age of 62 and the area west of Toms River 61, with three more clusters at 51, 51, and 49. The youngest neighborhoods anchor large, high-birth-rate Orthodox communities: the area west of Lakewood — home to one of the country's largest Orthodox Jewish populations and a birth rate that has sharply pulled down its median age — sits at just 18, and the cluster east of Montebello on the metro's northern edge at 25. Most of the metro falls in the 40–45 and 35–40 bands; the ≥50 tier is confined to the shore and a few scattered pockets.
Adults with a bachelor's degree
Education tracks wealth on the high end. The cluster north of Summit leads at 83%, with the cluster just north of New York and the area around Princeton — home to Princeton University — both at 82%, and two more clusters at 82% and 81%. The lowest shares run through the same urban cores as the lowest incomes: a North New York cluster at 13%, others at 15% and 16%, including the area north of Paterson and the area north of Elizabeth. The ≥70% tier follows Manhattan's core, the inner New Jersey suburbs, and Princeton; the under-30% tier wraps the older industrial cities.
Where the metrics overlap
The cluster north of Summit sits at the top of both income ($224K) and education (83%), and the broader band of inner New Jersey suburbs west of Newark repeats that pairing. The cluster just north of New York joins the highest home values ($1.5M) to an 82% bachelor's share. At the other end, the North New York clusters sit at the bottom of income ($35K) and education (13%) simultaneously, with the Paterson area adding the metro's lowest home values. Age cuts across the wealth gradient differently: the oldest clusters down the Jersey Shore are also among the most affordable on home value, while the youngest — west of Lakewood and east of Montebello — reflect family demographics rather than the income map.
Key Takeaways
- The cluster north of Summit leads the metro on both income ($224K) and bachelor's share (83%).
- The cluster just north of New York tops home value at $1.5M and pairs it with an 82% bachelor's share.
- The North New York clusters sit at the bottom of income ($35K) and education (13%) together.
- The area west of Lakewood is the metro's youngest at 18; the area south of Jamesburg is the oldest at 62.
- The most affordable homes line the Jersey Shore — west of Toms River at $248K — far below the metro median of $614K.