CarlstadtFirehouse, 2009
Carlstadt’s story
168 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,060 in 1880, 6,372 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 8 maps from 1888 on.
- 1858Carlstadt is settled
CarlstadtNJ
A town of 6,410, settled in 1858.
7 bordering townsMap →
Population
6,410
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$662K
+3.6% in a year
Household income
$115K
median
Median age
44.7
years
Jobs based here
11,621
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#291 of 466 in NJ
Is Carlstadt a good place to live?
Carlstadt's standout: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 97% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades B−, 291st of 466 graded towns in New Jersey. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 82% of the country and 13% of its land is conserved. Its weakest subject is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of U.S. communities, with coastal flooding at the top. 12% of residents are under 18 in Carlstadt, below both the New Jersey town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). The typical home is worth about $662K, 6.7 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income. The biggest park or preserve is Richard P. Kane Natural Area, at 546 acres.
What makes Carlstadt stand out
Where Carlstadt beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here11,621
Residents who work3,051
Work
3.8 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 97% of U.S. towns
7.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Coastal flooding and inland flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
By the sea
Carlstadt lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 75% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
75%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
74paid flood-insurance claims since 1979
10storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Carlstadt grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Carlstadt is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 97% of comparable towns) to D− for hazard risk (better than 3%), so the B− overall blends very different results.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 15.4 of 20; 4.8% of households have no carA+Open →Hazard riskcoastal flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthHudson Regional Hospital 2.4 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →SafetyBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsA−Open →History5 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life3.5 library visits per resident; 4.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.7; 31% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 625 attractions →MetLife Stadium and 551 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Carlstadt. Close and well known come first.
Big drawin town Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw6 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw6 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw6 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw6 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year
Big draw7 mi Stadium & arenaYankee StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Yankee Stadium: Matt Boulton, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Carlstadt: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carlstadt, and how to reach them.
PowerPSE&G25.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVeolia Water New Jersey HackensackNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offClifton Recycling Center, 4 miOpenStreetMap
SchoolsCarlstadt Borough School DistrictCarlstadt-East Rutherford School District2 districts serve Carlstadt; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New Jersey you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBergen County ClerkBergen County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code0707207072 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Carlstadt.
Carlstadt draws workers from New York City and beyond and is safe by national standards but not by New Jersey’s; it also carries more natural-hazard risk than most of New Jersey (mostly coastal flooding).
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most working residents commute out of Carlstadt
11,621 jobs are based in Carlstadt, 3.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Most working residents leave Carlstadt for work: only 8% work in town. Carlstadt’s median household income is $115,000. Since 2013, Carlstadt has lost 614 jobs, to 11,621 in 2023.
8%work in town
| Carlstadt | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $115,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 9% | 6% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Carlstadt8%
New York16%
Secaucus3%
East Rutherford3%
Jersey City3%
8 mi
median commute distance
11,621
jobs based in Carlstadt
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 97% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB−
Carlstadt’s schools rank behind 51% of New Jersey districts
Its public schools are run by the Carlstadt Public School District. Its one school is below.
49%of NJ districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlstadt Public SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 478 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
The FEMA risk score in Carlstadt is higher than in the typical New Jersey or U.S. town
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 99% of New Jersey towns, with expected losses of about $2,175 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1979, 74 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Carlstadt. Among 468 New Jersey towns, just 6 have a higher FEMA risk score than Carlstadt.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Coastal floodingInland flooding
74
paid flood claims since 1979
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
Carlstadt earns an A− for health
Within New Jersey it is less healthy than 57% of the 468 graded towns: New Jersey sets a high bar. Against the 6,398 U.S. towns with household incomes like Carlstadt’s, it is healthier than 65%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
40% of Carlstadt adults sleep under 7 hours. Carlstadt tracks New Jersey closely on all 32 CDC measures. 16% of Carlstadt adults have been diagnosed with depression.
82%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Carlstadt | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 36% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 16% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 32% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 28% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New Jersey
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Hudson Regional Hospital
2.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
43rd
percentile among NJ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Carlstadt has four seasons and pleasant summers
Carlstadt has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 24° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–43°
Spring42–62°
Summer65–84°
Fall47–66°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsA−
12.6% of Carlstadt is conserved land
0.1 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Richard P. Kane Natural Area, at 546 acres.
12.6%conserved
12.6%
conserved · 337 of 2,677 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Richard P. Kane Natural Area | — | 546 |
| 2. River Barge Park | 0.1 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D
Carlstadt earns a D for cost of living
63% of households own their home in Carlstadt. The typical Carlstadt home is worth about $662,000, up 3.6% in a year, 15% above the New Jersey typical home. The median rent in Carlstadt is $1,645 a month.
$662KZillow home value
| Carlstadt | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,645 a month | $1,780 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Carlstadt$662K
New Jersey$575K
+3.6%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyB
Crime per resident in Carlstadt is lower than in 57% of U.S. towns
At 15.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 60% of New Jersey’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 125 to 45 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
57%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Carlstadt0.2
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Carlstadt6.8
New Jersey12.7
U.S.15.5
57th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
40th
percentile among NJ towns
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
44
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carlstadt
20pages on Carlstadt
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 51% of NJ districts · 1 schoolSafetyB0.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than NJ on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$662K typical home · up 3.6% in a yearWork & commuteB+$115K median household income · 11,621 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 95% of U.S. communities · coastal flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
128 within 15 miles of the center of Carlstadt
Felician UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lodi3.3 mi$39,300 tuitionCUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeUniversity or college · Public · New York, NY5.5 mi$7,470 in-state tuitionCUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · New York, NY6.6 mi$5,194 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 Carlstadt residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Jersey.
A job hub
Every workday, about 11,385 people come to Carlstadt for work
Where Carlstadt’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
11,621jobs based in Carlstadt
8%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Carlstadt
5 notable people were born in Carlstadt.
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About Carlstadt
Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, US
Carlstadt is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,372, an increase of 245 (+4.0%) from the 2010 census count of 6,127, which in turn reflected an increase of 210 (+3.5%) from the 5,917 counted in the 2000 census. Carlstadt was originally formed as a village by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1860, within Lodi Township. Most sources indicate that the community was named for Carl Klein, the leader of a group of early German settlers who led the project to establish the community though Henry Gannett stated that the name derived from the city of Karlovac in Croatia, which was known as …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 13 ft
- ZIP code
- 07072
- Area code
- 201
Carlstadt’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Carlstadt.
Wood-RidgeEast RutherfordMoonachieNorth Bergen TownshipRidgefieldSouth Hackensack TownshipSecaucusCarlstadt
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NJ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlstadt | #291 | B− | D | B | B− | A− |
| Wood-Ridge | #104 | A | D | A | B | A+ |
| East Rutherford | #287 | B− | D− | — | C+ | A |
| Moonachie | #170 | A− | C | B+ | B+ | B+ |
| North Bergen Township | #375 | C− | D− | B | D | B− |
| Ridgefield | #196 | B+ | D− | A− | B− | A |
| South Hackensack Township | #377 | C− | D− | D | B+ | B |
| Secaucus | #294 | B− | D− | C− | B | A+ |
East Rutherford reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Carlstadt with a neighbor →
Questions about Carlstadt
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carlstadt, NJ a good place to live?
Carlstadt grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #291 of 466 in New Jersey. It grades A− for health, B for safety and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Carlstadt, NJ expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Carlstadt, NJ known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Marc Rizzo and Ernest Cuneo.