Navesink Light Station · Photo: Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0Highlands spent more per resident in 2022 than 77% of similar cities
Highlands’ borough government spent $11 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $2,348 per resident.
What stands out about how Highlands is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$2,348 per resident in 2022: more than 77% of them
Highlands’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,348 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 48 New Jersey cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,439, and the middle half spent $1,079–$2,186. Highlands spent more than 77% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1.9 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
New Jersey cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Highlands itself left out).
About $2,348 per resident a year, or $6.43 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 23%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Highlands reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $8,963 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.97% of the home’s value, vs 2.11% across New Jersey.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Highlands’ rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Highlands’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Highlands →
Who’s in charge in Highlands
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Highlands’ meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The borough posts agendas and minutes on highlandsnj.com ↗.
One full-time borough employee for every 127 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (4,693).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Highlands.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: highlandsnj.com ↗
- 2New Jersey General AssemblyState representatives
- 3New Jersey SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of New Jersey
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Highlands compares with the towns next door
Highlands spent $2,348 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,065. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Highlands | $1,065 | $10,000+ |
| Middletown Township | estimate | $10,000+ |
| Sea Bright | estimate | $7,171 |
| Highlands | $2,348 | $8,963 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Highlands’ government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Highlands’ government
How much does Highlands spend per resident?
About $2,348 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,348 was more than 77% of 48 New Jersey cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Highlands?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $8,963 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.97% of the typical home’s value, vs 2.11% across New Jersey. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see highlandsnj.com.
Who runs Highlands’ government?
See highlandsnj.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Highlands yet.
How many people work for Highlands?
37 full-time and 26 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $265,723 (about $3.2M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Highlands in the state legislature?
State Senate District 13 (Declan O'Scanlon) and General Assembly District 13 (Gerry Scharfenberger and Vicky Flynn). The General Assembly district also covers 15 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Highlands’ government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →