The Town FilesMaplewood, New Jersey
Township in Essex County · population 25,684 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $720,700
- Household income
- $173,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.1
Maplewood is a township of 25,684 people in Essex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $720,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more walkable than 95% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 93% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 90% of New Jersey towns.
How Maplewood 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 Maplewood is worth $720,700, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $173,500, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,269 a month. 74.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Maplewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $720,700 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,269 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $173,500 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Maplewood
| People | Maplewood | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.1% | — |
| Work from home | 29.6% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 38.5 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in Maplewood
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maplewood since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 31, 2019 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on December 9, 2009.
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 Maplewood itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Maplewood
6 public schools with 4,658 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia High School | 9-12 | 1,933 | 13.0 |
| Maplewood Middle School | 6-8 | 733 | 9.2 |
| Clinton Elementary School | PK-5 | 572 | 10.2 |
| Tuscan Elementary School | K-5 | 547 | 12.2 |
| Delia Bolden Elementary School | 3-5 | 481 | 12.0 |
| Seth Boyden Elementary Demonstration School | K-5 | 392 | 8.5 |
Towns near Maplewood
- South Orange Village, NJ1.2 mi · 18,484 people · home $866,600
- Vauxhall, NJ1.3 mi · 5,251 people · home $360,000
- Irvington, NJ2.1 mi · 61,176 people · home $335,600
- Union, NJ2.7 mi · 59,728 people · home $451,300
- Millburn, NJ2.7 mi · 21,710 people · home $1,371,500
- Short Hills, NJ3.0 mi · 14,422 people · home $1,674,100
- City of Orange, NJ3.0 mi · 34,447 people · home $365,500
- Hillside, NJ3.4 mi · 22,456 people · home $397,400
Maplewood questions
Is Maplewood, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Maplewood scores better for retirees than 24% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 11%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Maplewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Maplewood is valued at $720,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $173,500, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $2,269 a month.
What is the weather like in Maplewood?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.0 inches of snow.
Does Maplewood get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maplewood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 31, 2019. 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)