Hackensack, NJ — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New Jersey·Hackensack

Bergen County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 46,630

Image: Wikipedia · Hackensack, New Jersey

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

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Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hackensack stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $465,359

1-year +3.4%

5-yr CAGR +5.1%

vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

32/100

Very car-dependent

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

22/100

Transit limited

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

76/100

Strong remote-work fit

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.1

Lean buy

At a 15.1 price-to-rent ratio, Hackensack is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

67 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

65 · w22%

Distance from peak

90 · w18%

Population growth

51 · w16%

Rent YoY

78 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

67 · w10%

Long thesis

Hackensack has held up across the cycle: home values at $465,359 with +5.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Hackensack's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Hackensack

Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 46,630. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The median home value in Hackensack is $465,359 as of 2026-04, up 3.4% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hackensack average $2,571 per month, up 4.9% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Quiet strength: +3.4% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Hackensack (Wikipedia)

Hackensack is the most populous municipality in and the county seat of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921, but has informally been known as Hackensack since at least the 18th century. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 46,030, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 3,020 (+7.0%) from the 2010 census count of 43,010, which in turn reflected an increase of 333 (+0.8%) from the 42,677 counted in the 2000 census.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Bergen County right now.

NWS active alerts (NJ)New Jersey Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Bergen County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.