The Town FilesLake Hiawatha, New Jersey
Community in Morris County · population 10,194 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $428,600
- Household income
- $104,663
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 38.9
Lake Hiawatha is a community of 10,194 people in Morris County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $428,600, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks hipper than 93% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 87% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 82% of New Jersey towns.
How Lake Hiawatha 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 Lake Hiawatha is worth $428,600, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $104,663, which is more affordable than 39% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,550 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Hiawatha | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $428,600 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,550 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $104,663 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake Hiawatha
| People | Lake Hiawatha | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 37.8% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.5% | 94.6% |
Weather in Lake Hiawatha
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 20.6°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.1 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Hiawatha since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 8.3 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 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on December 9, 2009.
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 Lake Hiawatha itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Lake Hiawatha
2 public schools with 851 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Hiawatha Elementary School | PK-5 | 462 | 13.2 |
| Knollwood Elementary School | K-5 | 389 | 13.0 |
Towns near Lake Hiawatha
- Parsippany, NJ2.0 mi · 22,778 people · home $555,400
- Boonton, NJ2.0 mi · 8,815 people · home $495,400
- Pine Brook, NJ2.2 mi · 5,675 people · home $767,200
- Troy Hills, NJ2.3 mi · 5,081 people · home $650,500
- Montville, NJ2.5 mi · 22,450 people · home $700,200
- Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ2.6 mi · 56,162 people · home $536,200
- Mountain Lakes, NJ3.2 mi · 4,472 people · home $917,000
- Towaco, NJ3.8 mi · 5,624 people · home $701,300
Lake Hiawatha questions
Is Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Hiawatha scores better for retirees than 51% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 23%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Lake Hiawatha?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Hiawatha is valued at $428,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,663, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,550 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Hiawatha?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 20.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 26.1 inches of snow.
Does Lake Hiawatha get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Hiawatha 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)