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Living in
Hackensack.
About
Life in Hackensack
Living in Hackensack means proximity to New York City without the intensity of urban living—you're roughly 30 minutes from Manhattan depending on transit and traffic, though you'll definitely need a car for daily life. The cost of living reflects its suburban Jersey location: median rent around $1,911 a month and median home values near $393,700 are reasonable for the region, though not cheap by national standards. The real draw here is the diversity and community infrastructure.
Hackensack at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.1%
Foreign-Born
42.7%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
+0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics42.7% foreign-born, most often from Ecuador
Who lives in Hackensack: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hackensack, the largest foreign-born group is from Ecuador (19.6%), and 32.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
14.7%
of residents
65 and Older
18.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.0%
of households
Married Couples
33.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Hackensack
In Hackensack, rent runs 11% above the NJ average, and home values are 13% below the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,652
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
36.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $463,130 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NJ
Unemployment in Hackensack
Unemployment in Hackensack is close to the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Hackensack Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.9 min avg
How Hackensack residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hackensack, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 29% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Hackensack runs 29% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
235.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,892.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Hackensack Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Bergen County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Bergen County, which includes Hackensack, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 10 | Flash Flood | $12,500 |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $105,500 |
| 2020 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $548,000 |
| 2019 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $340,000 |
| 2018 | 36 | Flash Flood | $529,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Bergen County, county-wide
Hackensack is about 5% of Bergen County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Bergen County, which includes Hackensack, is typically good — 258 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
258
per year
Moderate Days
101
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Bergen County, county-wide
Hackensack is about 5% of Bergen County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hackensack has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.3"
Annual Snowfall
29.8"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
89
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 26°F | 3.28" |
| Feb | 43°F | 27°F | 2.82" |
| Mar | 51°F | 34°F | 4.09" |
| Apr | 63°F | 44°F | 3.97" |
| May | 73°F | 53°F | 3.94" |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 4.25" |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 4.45" |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 4.25" |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 4.11" |
| Oct | 67°F | 48°F | 3.73" |
| Nov | 56°F | 38°F | 3.30" |
| Dec | 45°F | 31°F | 4.10" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hackensack
Hackensack has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Hackensack University Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Holy Name Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2 mi away · Teaneck
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Englewood
St Mary's General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Passaic
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hackensack
Hackensack's student/teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 42.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Hackensack
Private for-profit · 2-year · 1,171 students · in-state tuition $18,693 · 54% graduate · median earnings $48,447 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 28,663 students · in-state tuition $65,622 · 89% graduate · median earnings $90,957 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
11.9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 18,623 students · in-state tuition $5,170 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,784 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,289 students · in-state tuition $7,382 · 59% graduate · median earnings $70,502 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 16,154 students · in-state tuition $7,462 · 72% graduate · median earnings $83,742 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY New York City College of Technology
13.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 13,580 students · in-state tuition $7,332 · 32% graduate · median earnings $57,019 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 12,505 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 58% graduate · median earnings $69,594 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: General Grant National Memorial, 7 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hackensack
Hackensack has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being General Grant National Memorial (7 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
7 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
7 mi awayPaterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
7 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
11 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
11 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
12 mi awayLower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
National Historic Site
12 mi awaySaint Paul's Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
12 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hackensack
Johnson Free Public Library
274 Main Street, Hackensack
Cities Near Hackensack
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hackensack?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hackensack FAQ
Is Hackensack, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Hackensack's median rent is $1,911/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $84,277/year. Median home value is $393,700.
Is Hackensack, New Jersey safe?⌄
Hackensack's violent crime rate was 235 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1893 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hackensack, New Jersey?⌄
Hackensack has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hackensack, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Hackensack is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,911/month and median household income is $84,277/year. The median home value is $393,700. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hackensack, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Hackensack is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from