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

Sussex County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 14,750

InvestorsSmall-town feel
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78
Hot
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hopatcong stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.7% in the last year. averaging 8.5% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $452,878
1-year +5.7%
5-yr CAGR +8.5%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$453k$187k$282k$376k$471k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
55/100
Workable for remote workers
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 vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.1
Lean buy

At a 15.1 price-to-rent ratio, Hopatcong 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
77 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
81 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
58 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
83 · w10%
Long thesis

Hopatcong has averaged 8.5% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+5.7% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Hopatcong'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 Hopatcong

Hopatcong is a city in Sussex County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 14,750. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The population grew 0.7% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Hopatcong is $452,878 as of 2026-04, up 5.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +8.5% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hopatcong average $2,500 per month. The composite momentum score is 78 of 100 (Hot). Buyers should expect competition and limited negotiation room in this market.

Bull case

Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 8.5% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
Quiet strength: +5.7% 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.

Playbook

Buyer

Expect competition, escalation clauses, and pressure to waive inspections. Make your strongest offer up front — Hot markets reward decisiveness, not negotiation. If you can't write a clean offer, you may not be the best fit for this market right now.

Seller

Price slightly above recent comps and let multiple offers work. Days-on-market should be short. Don't accept the first offer in the first 48 hours unless it's significantly above ask.

Investor

Cap rates are still workable thanks to a reasonable price-to-rent ratio. Buy-and-hold math works if the trend continues; underwrite a moderate slowdown to be safe.

Local safety & alerts

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

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

Cities like Hopatcong

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
38° / 23°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 65°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
207
~57% of year
Annual precip
47″ rain
25″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the New York-Newark-Jersey City area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Hopatcong listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$97,100
New Jersey state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinancePharmaLogistics

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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