The Town Files

Hopatcong, New Jersey

Borough in Sussex County · population 14,362 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hopatcong is in New JerseyHopatcong
Median home
$340,700
Household income
$115,758
Jan low / Jul high
19° / 84°
Snow a year
30 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
8
Median age
41.0

Hopatcong is a borough of 14,362 people in Sussex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $340,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 86% of New Jersey towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of New Jersey towns.

How Hopatcong 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.

Hopatcong lifestyle rankings vs other New Jersey townsRetirement35th pctFamilies74th pctQuiet55th pctWalkability58th pctFirst-time buyers77th pctYoung professionals35th pctVibrancy39th pctHip & trendy52nd pctCollege town86th pctUpscale42nd pctVacation homes90th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit22nd pctDriving74th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hopatcong is worth $340,700, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $115,758, which is more affordable than 86% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,777 a month. 87.1% of households own their home.

Hopatcong vs Sussex County vs typical New Jersey townHopatcongSussex CountyTypical New Jersey townHome value$340,700$369,400$435,600Household income$115,758$116,186$111,891Monthly rent$1,777$1,585$1,774
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Jersey towns with 500+ people.
HousingHopatcongTypical New Jersey town
Median home value$340,700$435,600
Median rent$1,777$1,774
Median household income$115,758$111,891
Home value ÷ income2.9×3.8×
Homeownership87.1%80.8%
Median year built19641969
Seasonal / vacation homes2.8%—

Who lives in Hopatcong

PeopleHopatcongTypical New Jersey town
Median age41.042.7
Age 65 and over13.2%18.3%
Under 1817.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher34.6%44.1%
Below the poverty line4.2%5.7%
Veterans3.9%—
Born outside the U.S.14.6%—
Work from home15.9%16.3%
Average commute36.9 min30.4 min
Homes with broadband97.1%94.6%

Weather in Hopatcong

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 29.6 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.

Hopatcong monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°19°Jan39°20°Feb48°28°Mar61°38°Apr71°48°May79°57°Jun84°62°Jul82°60°Aug74°52°Sep63°42°Oct52°32°Nov41°25°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.39.02.88.74.15.53.81.13.84.55.14.84.34.60.13.40.54.24.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Andover Aeroflex Ap station (5.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hopatcong since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hopatcong by decade11950s01960s11970s11980s11990s02000s12010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 7, 2013.

Severe weather in Sussex County since 1996

Storm events in Sussex County since 1996 by typeHail45Heat43Drought39High Wind49Heavy Rain43Heavy Snow47Flash Flood30Strong Wind95
NOAA Storm Events Database, Sussex County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 8 deaths recorded.

Sussex County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 5, 2021HurricaneDR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
September 2, 2021HurricaneEM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida
April 28, 2021SnowstormDR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
December 11, 2020HurricaneDR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias
March 25, 2020BiologicalDR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in Sussex County

Sussex County had 38,360 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,693 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Hopatcong itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.

Largest industries in Sussex CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,749 jobs · $61,149Retail5,655 jobs · $38,099Hotels & restaurants3,956 jobs · $27,956Manufacturing2,886 jobs · $77,294Other services1,866 jobs · $39,624Professional & technical serv…1,494 jobs · $76,103
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Sussex County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Sussex 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Hopatcong

4 public schools with 1,455 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Hopatcong High School8-1252011.8
Hopatcong Middle School4-744113.0
Durban Avenue Elementary SchoolPK-127311.9
Tulsa Trail Elementary School2-322113.0

Towns near Hopatcong

Hopatcong questions

Is Hopatcong, New Jersey a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hopatcong scores better for retirees than 35% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 55%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).

How much does a house cost in Hopatcong?

The median owner-occupied home in Hopatcong is valued at $340,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,758, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,777 a month.

What is the weather like in Hopatcong?

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 29.6 inches of snow.

Does Hopatcong get tornadoes?

8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hopatcong since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 28, 1973. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hopatcong's Census boundary (GEOID 3432910). Comparisons use the median of New Jersey towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.