The Town FilesRockaway, New Jersey
Borough in Morris County · population 6,598 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $448,100
- Household income
- $107,053
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 47.1
Rockaway is a borough of 6,598 people in Morris County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $448,100, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 94% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 88% of New Jersey towns.
How Rockaway 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 Rockaway is worth $448,100, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $107,053, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,587 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockaway | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $448,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,587 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $107,053 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 60.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockaway
| People | Rockaway | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.2% | — |
| Work from home | 18.0% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Rockaway
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 27.2 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
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockaway 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 6.7 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 24 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 Rockaway itself the ACS puts it at 6.4%.
Public schools in Rockaway
7 public schools with 3,256 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morris Hills High School | 9-12 | 1,141 | 9.8 |
| Copeland Middle School | 6-8 | 856 | 11.3 |
| Stony Brook Elementary School | K-5 | 382 | 9.8 |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | 4-8 | 278 | 9.0 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK-3 | 275 | 11.0 |
| Academy for Mathematics Science and Engineering | 9-12 | 180 | — |
| Academy for Performing Arts | 9-12 | 144 | — |
Towns near Rockaway
- Denville, NJ1.6 mi · 17,107 people · home $564,600
- White Meadow Lake, NJ2.0 mi · 8,710 people · home $470,800
- Dover, NJ2.3 mi · 18,460 people · home $366,700
- Mount Hope, NJ2.4 mi · 2,930 people · home $398,000
- Wharton, NJ3.0 mi · 7,241 people · home $380,700
- Mountain Lakes, NJ3.9 mi · 4,472 people · home $917,000
- Rockaway, NJ4.5 mi · 25,341 people · home $466,500
- Morris Plains, NJ4.5 mi · 6,153 people · home $643,300
Rockaway questions
Is Rockaway, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockaway scores better for retirees than 63% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 18%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.1).
How much does a house cost in Rockaway?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockaway is valued at $448,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,053, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,587 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockaway?
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 27.2 inches of snow.
Does Rockaway get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockaway 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)