The Town FilesBudd Lake, New Jersey
Community in Morris County · population 9,784 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $456,100
- Household income
- $114,154
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 36.9
Budd Lake is a community of 9,784 people in Morris County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $456,100, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of New Jersey towns.
How Budd Lake ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Budd Lake is worth $456,100, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $114,154, which is more affordable than 43% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,402 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Budd Lake | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $456,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,402 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $114,154 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Budd Lake
| People | Budd Lake | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.3% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.1% | — |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 94.6% |
Weather in Budd Lake
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.8 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Budd Lake since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 7, 2013.
Severe weather in Morris County since 1996
Morris County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Morris County
Morris County had 298,824 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $101,208 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Budd Lake itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Budd Lake
3 public schools with 2,274 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Olive Middle School | 6-8 | 1,124 | 10.3 |
| Chester M. Stephens Elementary School | K-5 | 713 | 10.0 |
| Sandshore Rd. Elementary School | K-5 | 437 | 11.8 |
Towns near Budd Lake
- Mount Olive, NJ0.6 mi · 28,886 people · home $487,100
- Flanders, NJ2.5 mi · 9,832 people · home $552,900
- Netcong, NJ2.6 mi · 3,375 people · home $346,100
- Stanhope, NJ3.3 mi · 3,526 people · home $376,700
- Ledgewood, NJ3.7 mi · 4,903 people · home $460,900
- Succasunna, NJ4.4 mi · 10,338 people · home $529,100
- Landing, NJ4.5 mi · 4,296 people · home $417,400
- Roxbury, NJ4.6 mi · 22,950 people · home $465,700
Budd Lake questions
Is Budd Lake, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Budd Lake scores better for retirees than 40% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 33%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Budd Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Budd Lake is valued at $456,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,154, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,402 a month.
What is the weather like in Budd Lake?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 27.8 inches of snow.
Does Budd Lake get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Budd Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 28, 1973. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)