The Town FilesWatsessing, New Jersey
Community in Essex County · population 8,078 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $435,400
- Household income
- $103,378
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 36.4
Watsessing is a community of 8,078 people in Essex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $435,400, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 100% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 100% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 100% of New Jersey towns.
- #1 in The 25 Hippest Small Towns in New Jersey
- #3 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Professionals in New Jersey
- #4 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in New Jersey
- #7 in The 50 Most Walkable Small Towns in America
- #10 in The 50 Best Small Towns for Young Professionals in America
- #12 in The 50 Hippest Small Towns in America
How Watsessing 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 Watsessing is worth $435,400, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $103,378, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,026 a month. 31.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watsessing | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $435,400 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,026 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $103,378 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 31.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Watsessing
| People | Watsessing | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.0% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.6% | — |
| Work from home | 26.7% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 94.6% |
Weather in Watsessing
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 83 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watsessing since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 21, 2026 about 9.4 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 36 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 6, 2020.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex 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 |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 349,076 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $88,369 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Watsessing itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Watsessing
- Ampere North, NJ0.9 mi · 5,132 people · home $365,600
- Silver Lake, NJ1.0 mi · 4,730 people · home $448,300
- Glen Ridge, NJ1.3 mi · 7,802 people · home $836,600
- East Orange, NJ1.6 mi · 69,612 people · home $365,900
- Bloomfield, NJ1.7 mi · 53,105 people · home $470,800
- Belleville, NJ2.1 mi · 38,222 people · home $421,000
- City of Orange, NJ2.2 mi · 34,447 people · home $365,500
- Montclair, NJ2.7 mi · 40,921 people · home $906,400
Watsessing questions
Is Watsessing, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watsessing scores better for retirees than 21% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 6%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Watsessing?
The median owner-occupied home in Watsessing is valued at $435,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,378, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $2,026 a month.
What is the weather like in Watsessing?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Watsessing get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watsessing since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 21, 2026. 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)