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Living in
The Hills.
The Hills is an unincorporated community in Somerset County, NJ. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in The Hills
The Hills is a community of 10,732 people in New Jersey. The median household income is $154,564, median rent runs about $2,376 per month, and median home values are around $577,000. Unemployment is low at 4.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
The Hills at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
47.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Foreign-Born
32.7%
Broadband Internet
98.7%
of households
Median household income
Demographics32.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in The Hills: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In The Hills, the largest foreign-born group is from India (31.8%), and 14.3% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
18.6%
of residents
65 and Older
20.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.7%
of households
Married Couples
50.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
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 38% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in The Hills
In The Hills, rent runs 38% above the NJ average, and home values are 27% above the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,066
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below NJ average
Unemployment in The Hills
Unemployment in Somerset County, which includes The Hills, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
The Hills: Somerset County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Somerset County (county-wide) · Annual averages
The Hills is about 3% of Somerset County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What The Hills Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute36.5 min avg
How The Hills residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In The Hills, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 43% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 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 97% below national average
Crime rates for 2024
Violent crime in the area policed by the Bernards Township Police Department, which covers The Hills, runs 97% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
10.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (363 national, 2024)
Property Crime Rate
176.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,767 national, 2024)
Policed by Bernards Township Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Somerset County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Somerset County, which includes The Hills, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Winter Weather | $45,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 26 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2022 | 16 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100.0M |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Winter Storm | None reported |
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
Somerset County, county-wide
The Hills is about 3% of Somerset County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Morris County, NJ (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from The Hills) is typically good — 275 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
275
per year
Moderate Days
48
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Morris County, NJ (15 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
The Hills has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.8"
Annual Snowfall
21.0"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
137
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 19°F | 3.55" |
| Feb | 41°F | 20°F | 2.79" |
| Mar | 50°F | 27°F | 4.11" |
| Apr | 62°F | 36°F | 3.96" |
| May | 72°F | 46°F | 3.44" |
| Jun | 81°F | 56°F | 4.25" |
| Jul | 86°F | 62°F | 4.68" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 3.74" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 4.26" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 4.27" |
| Nov | 54°F | 31°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 43°F | 24°F | 4.42" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in The Hills
Uninsured
1.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside The Hills's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.2 mi away · Somerville
Mountainview Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 10.3 mi away · Berkeley Heights
University Behavioral Health Care
Psychiatric · ER available · 11.8 mi away · Piscataway
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.
Education9.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in The Hills
The Hills's student/teacher ratio is 9.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 74.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
74.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
9.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near The Hills (within 15 miles)
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
14.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 37,751 students · in-state tuition $18,824 · 85% graduate · median earnings $80,490 (10 yrs after entry)
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
12.8 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 1,990 students · in-state tuition $39,454 · 68% graduate · median earnings $62,652 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,533 students · in-state tuition $49,100 · 75% graduate · median earnings $66,065 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 557 students · in-state tuition $37,763 · 57% graduate · median earnings $55,167 (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: Morristown National Historical Park, 9 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for The Hills
The Hills has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Morristown National Historical Park (9 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
9 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
22 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
26 mi awayPaterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayEllis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
30 mi awayNational Parks of New York Harbor
National Park Site
30 mi awayStatue Of Liberty National Monument
National Monument
30 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayCities Near The Hills
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to The Hills?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
The Hills FAQ
Is The Hills, New Jersey affordable?⌄
The Hills's median rent is $2,376/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $154,564/year. Median home value is $577,000.
Is The Hills, New Jersey safe?⌄
The Hills is policed by the Bernards Township Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 10 per 100,000 residents in 2024, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 363/100k that year. Property crime rate is 176 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in The Hills, New Jersey?⌄
Somerset County, which includes The Hills, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in The Hills, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in The Hills is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,376/month and median household income is $154,564/year. The median home value is $577,000. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in The Hills, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in The Hills is 37 minutes, which is longer than 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