The Town FilesProspect Park, New Jersey
Borough in Passaic County · population 6,372 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $406,800
- Household income
- $53,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 36.2
Prospect Park is a borough of 6,372 people in Passaic County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $406,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 99% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 90% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 85% of New Jersey towns.
- #4 in 25 Small Towns in New Jersey With the Oldest Homes
- #5 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New Jersey
- #15 in The 50 Most Walkable Historic Small Towns in America
- #17 in The 50 Most Walkable Small Towns in America
- #32 in The 50 Most Walkable Historic Places in America
- #36 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Oldest Homes
How Prospect Park 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 Prospect Park is worth $406,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 7.7 times the median household income of $53,125, which is more affordable than 4% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,647 a month. 42.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prospect Park | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $406,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,647 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $53,125 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 42.0% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Prospect Park
| People | Prospect Park | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.3% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 0.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 42.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in Prospect Park
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 44.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.3 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prospect Park since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 7, 1962 about 5.5 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 50 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 8, 2021.
Severe weather in Passaic County since 1996
Passaic County has been included in 30 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 |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Passaic County
Passaic County had 170,830 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,668 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Prospect Park itself the ACS puts it at 11.5%.
Public schools in Prospect Park
2 public schools with 814 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Park School No. 1 | PK-8 | 652 | 9.6 |
| Prospect Park School Number Two/ Middle School | 7-8 | 162 | 13.5 |
Towns near Prospect Park
- Haledon, NJ0.8 mi · 9,052 people · home $396,400
- Hawthorne, NJ1.3 mi · 19,637 people · home $533,700
- North Haledon, NJ1.6 mi · 8,927 people · home $547,600
- Paterson, NJ1.9 mi · 159,732 people · home $360,100
- Preakness, NJ2.7 mi · 18,487 people · home $617,700
- Glen Rock, NJ2.8 mi · 12,133 people · home $856,900
- Fair Lawn, NJ3.0 mi · 34,927 people · home $564,700
- Totowa, NJ3.6 mi · 11,065 people · home $559,300
Prospect Park questions
Is Prospect Park, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prospect Park scores better for retirees than 2% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 0%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Prospect Park?
The median owner-occupied home in Prospect Park is valued at $406,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,125, so homes cost about 7.7 times income. Median rent is $1,647 a month.
What is the weather like in Prospect Park?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28.3 inches of snow.
Does Prospect Park get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prospect Park since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 7, 1962. 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)