The Town FilesWantage, New Jersey
Township in Sussex County · population 10,811 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $370,100
- Household income
- $99,599
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 40.4
Wantage is a township of 10,811 people in Sussex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $370,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks easier by car than 93% of New Jersey towns, quieter than 78% of New Jersey towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of New Jersey towns.
How Wantage 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 Wantage is worth $370,100, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $99,599, which is more affordable than 53% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,437 a month. 82.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wantage | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $370,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,437 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $99,599 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.1% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wantage
| People | Wantage | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 94.6% |
Weather in Wantage
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.7 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wantage since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 14, 1988 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 19, 1987.
Severe weather in Sussex County since 1996
Sussex County has been included in 28 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 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 Wantage itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Wantage
2 public schools with 761 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton E. Lawrence | PK-2 | 407 | 12.0 |
| Wantage Elementary School | 3-5 | 354 | 9.1 |
Towns near Wantage
- Montague, NJ5.4 mi · 3,792 people · home $344,500
- Minisink, NY6.9 mi · 4,621 people · home $452,200
- Hamburg, NJ7.8 mi · 3,266 people · home $280,900
- Frankford, NJ8.2 mi · 5,302 people · home $418,400
- Vernon, NJ8.5 mi · 22,358 people · home $331,000
- Greenville, NY8.6 mi · 4,689 people · home $380,400
- Port Jervis, NY9.2 mi · 8,775 people · home $236,700
- Hardyston, NJ9.6 mi · 8,125 people · home $360,400
Wantage questions
Is Wantage, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wantage scores better for retirees than 53% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 78%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Wantage?
The median owner-occupied home in Wantage is valued at $370,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,599, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,437 a month.
What is the weather like in Wantage?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 38.7 inches of snow.
Does Wantage get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wantage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 14, 1988. 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)