What it's like to live in Hopatcong
Hopatcong is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hopatcong deals with rent well above the national average, long average commutes, cold winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Long commutes
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Hopatcong compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hopatcong
Based on Hopatcong's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,554
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $71,080 a year
- 45% of Hopatcong renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$68,140
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $34,070
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 26% above US
$1,777/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,777 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $340,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $340,700 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Sussex County is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Sussex County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 71% below US
94 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 209/100k · Hopatcong Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 42% above US
37 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 36.9 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Morristown National Historical Park (15 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hopatcong's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and long average commutes. A year of median rent ($1,777/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, people who dread long commutes, and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Hopatcong
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Lake Hopatcong →
2 mi away · pop. 10,259
Rent $1,686/mo · Income $117,625
Compare with Hopatcong →Moving to Budd Lake →
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Rent $1,402/mo · Income $114,154
Compare with Hopatcong →Moving to Oak Ridge →
11 mi away · pop. 10,954
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