Helmetta, NJ

The affordability dashboard for Helmetta, NJ aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 2,178 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C (56/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $98,952, median home value of $355,000, median rent of $2,144 per month, and 40.5% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $2,486 per month (studio $1,804, 1BR $1,978, 3BR $2,981, 4BR $3,296). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $16,325 per year, consuming 16% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Helmetta, NJ include income. Pressure points are commute. Unemployment currently reads 7.4% and poverty 3.7% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.