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Living in
Preakness.
Preakness is an unincorporated community in Passaic County, NJ. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Preakness
This is suburban New Jersey at its most established—a mature community of about 18,500 people in Wayne where you're paying solidly upper-middle-class prices ($618k median home, $1,918 rent) for proximity to everything without feeling like you're in the thick of it. The median household income of $133k suggests your neighbors are professionals, likely commuting into Newark or New York; expect a 31-minute average commute, which isn't brutal but is real, and car dependency is non-negotiable. Winter here means real snow and cold, and summers get humid, so you need to be okay with four distinct seasons and the maintenance that comes with them.
Preakness at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
21.8%
Broadband Internet
92.9%
of households
Median household income
Demographics21.8% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Preakness: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Preakness, the largest foreign-born group is from India (11.4%), and 8.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.4%
of households
Married Couples
59.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.76
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 12% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Preakness
In Preakness, rent runs 12% above the NJ average, and home values are 36% above the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
70.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above NJ average
Unemployment in Preakness
Unemployment in Passaic County, which includes Preakness, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
Preakness: Passaic County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Passaic County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Preakness is about 4% of Passaic County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Preakness Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.8 min avg
How Preakness residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Preakness, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M 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 72% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Wayne Township Police Department, which covers Preakness, runs 72% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
92.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,786.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Wayne Township Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersFlash Flood most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Passaic County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Passaic County, which includes Preakness, the most common type is flash flood, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Winter Weather | $13,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 7 | Flash Flood | $4,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Weather | $1,500 |
| 2021 | 19 | Flash Flood | $40,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | High Wind | $56,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $76,000 |
| 2018 | 15 | Flash Flood | $3.2M |
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
Passaic County, county-wide
Preakness is about 4% of Passaic County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Passaic County, which includes Preakness, is typically good — 268 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
268
per year
Moderate Days
92
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Passaic County, county-wide
Preakness is about 4% of Passaic County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Preakness has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.6"
Annual Snowfall
28.2"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
117
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 23°F | 3.04" |
| Feb | 41°F | 24°F | 2.55" |
| Mar | 49°F | 31°F | 4.07" |
| Apr | 62°F | 41°F | 3.71" |
| May | 72°F | 51°F | 3.39" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.27" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.33" |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 4.49" |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 3.72" |
| Oct | 65°F | 45°F | 3.97" |
| Nov | 53°F | 35°F | 3.30" |
| Dec | 43°F | 28°F | 4.04" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Preakness
Uninsured
2.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Preakness's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
St Joseph's University Medical Center Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · 3.7 mi away · Paterson
Chilton Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Pompton Plains
Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 4.8 mi away · Wyckoff
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.
Education11.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Preakness
Preakness's student/teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 57.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
57.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Preakness (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 10,557 students · in-state tuition $5,060 · 37% graduate · median earnings $52,092 (10 yrs after entry)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
13.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,019 students · in-state tuition $21,162 · 75% graduate · median earnings $90,769 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 7,709 students · in-state tuition $18,112 · 72% graduate · median earnings $80,490 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 5,855 students · in-state tuition $5,631 · 22% graduate · median earnings $43,365 (10 yrs after entry)
Passaic County Community College
3.2 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,260 students · in-state tuition $6,660 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,497 (10 yrs after entry)
Berkeley College-Woodland Park
3 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 1,778 students · in-state tuition $30,880 · 53% graduate · median earnings $46,839 (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: Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Preakness
Preakness has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
3 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
16 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
16 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
18 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
18 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
19 mi awayCastle Clinton National Monument
National Monument
19 mi awayPublic Libraries in Preakness
Wayne Public Library
475 Valley Road, Wayne
Cities Near Preakness
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Preakness?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Preakness FAQ
Is Preakness, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Preakness's median rent is $1,918/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $133,205/year. Median home value is $617,700.
Is Preakness, New Jersey safe?⌄
Preakness is policed by the Wayne Township Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 93 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1787 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Preakness, New Jersey?⌄
Passaic County, which includes Preakness, has an unemployment rate of 6.0%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Preakness, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Preakness is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,918/month and median household income is $133,205/year. The median home value is $617,700. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Preakness, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Preakness is 30 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