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Living in
Upper Montclair.
The Census tops out at $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Upper Montclair is an unincorporated community in Essex County, NJ. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Upper Montclair
Upper Montclair is a community of 12,279 people in New Jersey. The median household income is $250,001, median rent runs about $2,237 per month, and median home values are around $989,000. The unemployment rate is 6.3%.
Upper Montclair at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Foreign-Born
10.6%
Broadband Internet
97.9%
of households
Population Growth
+6.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.6% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Upper Montclair: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Upper Montclair, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (10.8%), and 3.3% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
28.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
45.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
13.4%
of households
Married Couples
75.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.06
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 30% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Upper Montclair
In Upper Montclair, rent runs 30% above the NJ average, and home values are 118% above the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
85.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
6.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts above NJ average
Unemployment in Upper Montclair
Unemployment in Essex County, which includes Upper Montclair, is 1.1 percentage points higher than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
Upper Montclair: Essex County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Essex County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Upper Montclair is about 1% of Essex County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Upper Montclair Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute42.2 min avg
How Upper Montclair residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Upper Montclair, most residents work from home to work (43%), and 35% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 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 76% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Montclair Police Department, which covers Upper Montclair, runs 76% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
77.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
851.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Montclair Police Department (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Essex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Essex County, which includes Upper Montclair, the most common type is winter weather, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Winter Weather | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | Winter Weather | $22,000 |
| 2023 | 4 | Winter Weather | $10,500 |
| 2022 | 12 | Winter Weather | $18,500 |
| 2021 | 15 | Flash Flood | $337,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $33,000 |
| 2019 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
| 2018 | 19 | Flash Flood | $78,000 |
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
Essex County, county-wide
Upper Montclair is about 1% of Essex 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 Hudson County, NJ (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 10 miles from Upper Montclair) is typically good — 261 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
261
per year
Moderate Days
101
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Hudson County, NJ (10 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Upper Montclair has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.4"
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 | 21°F | 3.64" |
| Feb | 41°F | 23°F | 2.93" |
| Mar | 49°F | 30°F | 4.16" |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.08" |
| May | 72°F | 49°F | 4.04" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 4.60" |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.80" |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 4.47" |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 4.53" |
| Oct | 65°F | 43°F | 4.31" |
| Nov | 53°F | 34°F | 3.64" |
| Dec | 43°F | 27°F | 3.41" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Upper Montclair
Uninsured
1.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Upper Montclair's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Essex County Hospital Center
Psychiatric · 1.8 mi away · Cedar Grove
Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Montclair
St Mary's General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.5 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.
Education10.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Upper Montclair
Upper Montclair's student/teacher ratio is 10.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 84.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
84.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Upper Montclair (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
13.3 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)
Public · 4-year · 12,505 students · in-state tuition $7,340 · 58% graduate · median earnings $69,594 (10 yrs after entry)
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
12.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,590 students · in-state tuition $7,470 · 63% graduate · median earnings $65,870 (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, 5 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Upper Montclair
Upper Montclair has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (5 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
5 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
5 mi awayEllis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
13 mi awayGeneral Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
13 mi awayHamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
13 mi awayStonewall National Monument
National Monument
13 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
14 mi awayPublic Libraries in Upper Montclair
Bellevue Ave. Branch Lib.
185 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
Cities Near Upper Montclair
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Upper Montclair?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Upper Montclair FAQ
Is Upper Montclair, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Upper Montclair's median rent is $2,237/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $250,000+/year. Median home value is $989,000.
Is Upper Montclair, New Jersey safe?⌄
Upper Montclair is policed by the Montclair Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 77 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 852 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Upper Montclair, New Jersey?⌄
Essex County, which includes Upper Montclair, has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Upper Montclair, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Upper Montclair is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,237/month and median household income is $250,000+/year. The median home value is $989,000. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Upper Montclair, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Upper Montclair is 42 minutes, which is significantly 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