Draft_October 2025_West Orange_HEFSP_with Appendices

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 22: Employment and Residential Labor Force, 2011 to 2023 Essex County Labor Unemployment Year Employment Unemployment Force Rate 2011 383,215 341,732 41,483 10.8% 2012 383,758 342,362 41,396 10.8% 2013 379,043 341,652 37,391 9.9% 2014 374,663 344,767 29,896 8.0% 2015 372,205 346,810 25,395 6.8% 2016 370,183 348,152 22,031 6.0% 2017 381,339 360,285 21,054 5.5% 2018 379,693 360,756 18,937 5.0% 2019 386,125 369,380 16,745 4.3% 2020 387,334 343,775 43,559 11.2% 2021 385,589 353,407 32,182 8.3% 2022 388,290 369,991 18,299 4.7% 2023 397,420 375,401 22,019 5.5% Source: NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development Labor Force Estimates Table 23: Employment and Residential Labor Force, 2010 to 2023 New Jersey Labor Unemployment Year Employment Unemployment Force Rate 2011 4,561,800 4,134,700 427,100 9.4% 2012 4,576,300 4,147,200 429,100 9.4% 2013 4,528,000 4,147,700 380,400 8.4% 2014 4,493,900 4,191,300 302,600 6.7% 2015 4,494,600 4,237,900 256,700 5.7% 2016 4,492,800 4,271,200 221,600 4.9% 2017 4,615,000 4,406,200 208,800 4.5% 2018 4,604,800 4,420,700 184,100 4.0% 2019 4,686,300 4,524,300 162,000 3.5% 2020 4,650,300 4,212,400 437,900 9.4% 2021 4,666,100 4,357,200 308,900 6.6% 2022 4,739,800 4,564,100 175,700 3.7% 2023 4,829,671 4,615,722 213,949 4.4% Source: NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development Labor Force Estimates 31

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Employment Status It is estimated that nearly two-thirds (69.1%) of West Orange’s population over the age of 16 was in the labor force in 2023, which was slightly higher than the County’s rate of 67.4%. Of the Township’s labor force, 99.7% of workers were civilians and a vast majority (94.2%) was employed. At the County level, 99.9% of workers were civilians and 93.1% of the labor force was employed, indicating that the Township and County exhibited similar trends. This data is shown in Table 24 below. Table 24: Employment, 2023 West Orange and Essex County West Orange Essex County % of % of 16+ % of 16+ Number Labor Number Population Population Force Population 16 years and over In labor force Civilian Labor Force Employed Unemployed Armed Forces Not in labor force % of Labor Force 39,196 100.0% - 676,204 100.0% - 27,072 26,987 25,493 1,494 85 12,124 69.1% 68.9% 65.0% 3.8% 0.2% 30.9% 100.0% 99.7% 94.2% 5.5% 0.3% - 455,789 455,242 424,290 30,952 547 220,415 67.4% 67.3% 62.7% 4.6% 0.1% 32.6% 100.0% 99.9% 93.1% 6.8% 0.1% - Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table DP03 Class of Worker and Occupation According to the 2023 American Community Survey Estimates, the majority of workers (70.7%) living in West Orange were a part of the private wage and salary worker group. This group includes people who work for wages, salary, commission, and tips for a private for-profit employer or a private not-for-profit, taxexempt or charitable organization. The next largest category was local government workers (8.6%), followed by those who were private not-for-profit wage and salary workers (7.0%). This data is outlined in Table 25 below. Table 25: Class of Worker, 2023 West Orange Total Civilian Employed Workers (Age 16+) Private Wage and Salary Worker Private not-for-profit wage and salary workers Local Government Worker State Government Worker Federal Government Worker Self-Employed Worker or Unpaid Family Worker Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S2408 32 Number 25,493 18,011 1,789 2,203 1,741 384 1,365 Percent 100.0% 70.7% 7.0% 8.6% 6.8% 1.5% 5.4%

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The occupational breakdown shown in Table 26 below includes only private wage and salary workers. Township residents who worked within the private wage field concentrated heavily in Management, Business, Science, and Arts occupations as well as Sales and Office occupations. Collectively, the two fields accounted for just over 71.7% of the entire resident workforce over the age of 16. Table 26: Resident Employment by Occupation, 2023 West Orange Employed Civilian population 16 years and over Management, business, science and arts occupations Service occupations Sales and office occupations Natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations Production Transportation and material moving occupations Number 25,493 13,547 3,422 4,748 1,595 2,181 Percent 100.0% 53.1% 13.4% 18.6% 6.3% 8.6% Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table DP03 As portrayed in Table 27, the industry that employed the greatest number of West Orange residents in 2023 was the Educational Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance sector, which accounted for 27.7% of the Township’s resident workforce. The second most common industry during this time was the Professional, Scientific, and Management, and Administrative and Waste Management Services sector, which accounted for 16.5% of jobs occupied by Township residents. Table 27: Employment by Industry, 2023 West Orange Industry Employed Civilian Population 16 Years and Over Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, mining Construction Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities Information Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services Educational services, and health care and social assistance Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services Other Services, except public administration Public administration Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table

ts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services Other Services, except public administration Public administration Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table DP03 33 Number 25,493 14 1,392 1,596 395 2,302 1,363 1,204 2,224 Percent 100.00% 0.1% 5.5% 6.3% 1.5% 9.0% 5.3% 4.7% 8.7% 4,216 16.5% 7,070 1,717 958 1,042 27.7% 6.7% 3.8% 4.1%

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commuting to Work In 2023, it is estimated that over half (57.3%) of the employed population that did not work from home commuted up to 35 minutes to their place of work. Approximately three-quarters of the Township’s workers commuted up to an hour, with the last quarter of the population traveling between an hour to an hour and a half to get to work. A majority (55.3%) of the Township’s working population drove alone as their primary means of travel to work. Roughly 15.4% of the population utilized public transportation. The West Orange Jitney Transportation Service includes a system of seven (7) different routes which cover all neighborhoods in the Township, offering an array of options for commuters and seniors. Further, a total of 19.9% of the Township’s population worked from home. The remaining population (9.3%) either walked, carpooled, or utilized a taxi, motorcycle, bike, or other means. This data is outlined in Tables 28 and 29 below. Table 28: Travel Time to Work, 2023 West Orange Number Percent Workers who did not work at home 20,177 100.0% Less than 5 minutes 92 0.5% 5 to 9 minutes 1,057 5.2% 10 to 14 minutes 1,950 9.7% 15 to 19 minutes 2,288 11.3% 20 to 24 minutes 2,591 12.8% 25 to 29 minutes 1,010 5.0% 30 to 34 minutes 2,576 12.8% 35 to 39 minutes 829 4.1% 40 to 44 minutes 1,125 5.6% 45 to 59 minutes 2,085 10.3% 60 to 89 minutes 2,981 14.8% 90 or more minutes 1,593 7.9% Mean Travel Time to Work (minutes) 36.5 Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B08303 and DP03 Table 29: Means of Travel to Work, 2023 West Orange Number Workers 16 years and over 25,204 Car, truck, van - Drove Alone 13,937 Car, truck, van - Carpooled 1,068 Public Transportation 3,894 Walked 321 Taxicab, Motorcycle, Bike, or Other 957 Worked at home 5,027 Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table DP03 34 Percent 100.0% 55.3% 4.2% 15.4% 1.3% 3.8% 19.9%

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Covered Employment There is currently very limited information available on actual job opportunities within municipalities. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development collects information on covered employment, which is employment and wage data for private employees covered by unemployment insurance. The following table provides a snapshot of private employers located within West Orange. Table 30 below reflects the number of jobs covered by private employment insurance from 2014 through 2023. According to data from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the highest number of jobs covered in West Orange between 2014 and 2023 was in 2017 when 14,402 jobs were covered by unemployment insurance. Private employment has decreased overall in West Orange since 2014, with its largest loss occurring between 2019 and 2020 (-13.3%); the largest gain occurred between 2021 and 2022 (7.8%). West Orange Township experienced a gain of 167 jobs in 2023, representing an increase of 1.3% percent from 2022. Table 30: Private Wage Covered Employment 2014 - 2023 West Orange Year Number of Jobs # Change % Change 2014 14,047 - - 2015 14,054 7 0.1% 2016 14,309 255 1.8% 2017 14,402 93 0.6% 2018 14,205 -197 -1.4% 2019 13,856 -349 -2.5% 2020 12,012 -1845 -13.3% 2021 12,344 333 2.8% 2022 13,301 13,469 957 7.8% 167 1.3% 2023 Source: NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development Labor Force Estimates In-Township Establishments and Employees by Industry: 2023 Table 31 below depicts the average annual number of establishments and employees by industry sector that exist within the Township, as reported in the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) published by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDLWD). The QCEW provides a quarterly accounting of employment, establishments, and wages throughout the State of New Jersey, and accounts for over 95% of available jobs in the state. The annual municipal reports group data according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The QCEW considers an establishment to be a

for over 95% of available jobs in the state. The annual municipal reports group data according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The QCEW considers an establishment to be a single economic unit, which is located at one physical location and engaged in one 35

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- type of economic activity. The NJDLWD specifies that establishments differ from firms or companies in the sense that the latter can have multiple establishments. In 2023, the Township had an annual average of 1,336 establishments employing an average of 13,469 people in the private sector. The local government sector had an annual average of 4 establishments employing an average of 1,609 people. The Health/Social sector was West Orange’s predominant private sector in establishments and employment, with 399 establishments and 5,905 people employed. The Retail Trade and Accommodation/Food sectors also employed a substantial number of people, at 1,228 and 1,313 people, respectively. 22 23 31 42 44 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 61 62 71 72 81 99 Table 31: Average Number of Establishments and Employees by Industry, 2023 West Orange 2023 Average Industry ID and Description Units Employment Utilities . . 87 478 Construction 16 74 Manufacturing 38 147 Wholesale Trade 86 1,228 Retail Trade 35 213 Transp/Warehousing 32 193 Information 47 290 Finance/Insurance 52 205 Real Estate 151 612 Professional/Technical Management . . 77 932 Admin/Waste Remediation 19 418 Education 399 5,905 Health/Social 30 586 Arts/Entertainment 81 1,313 Accommodations/Food 120 594 Other Services 60 58 Unclassified 1,336 13,469 Private Sector Totals 4 1,609 Local Government Totals Source: NJ Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development Labor Force, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Municipal Report by Sector (NAICS Based), 2022 Data have been suppressed (-) for industries with few units or where one employer is a significant percentage of employment or wages of the industry. 36

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probable Future Employment Opportunities The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) completes regional forecasts for the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area every four years for population, households, and employment. The most recent report was released in 2025, documenting projections between 2015 and 2050. The 2025 report predicts that the Township’s population, households , and employment will see steady annualized growth through 2050. It is estimated that the population will see an overall 16.5% increase, while households will increase by 18.3% and employment will increase by 18.6%. Table 32: Population and Employment Projections, 2015 to 2050 West Orange Annualized Overall Projected Change 2050 Category 2015 (Projected) Percent Change Number Percent Population 46,391 54,026 0.44% 7,634 16.5% Households 17,189 20,340 0.48% 3,151 18.3% Employment 15,516 18,406 0.49% 2,889 18.6% Source: NJTPA Municipal Forecasts 2025 37

Township of West Orange October 2025 Essex County, New Jersey Draft Housing Element and Fair Share Plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART 2: FAIR SHARE PLAN INTRODUCTION The following Fair Share Plan (“Plan”) details the Township’s Prior Round (1987-1999), Third Round (19992025), and Fourth Round (2025-2035) Prospective Need obligations, as well as the Township’s Fourth Round Present Need. This Plan proposes mechanisms by which the Township can realistically provide opportunities for affordable housing for those moderate-, low-, and very low- income households. CURRENT STANDARDS The below section details the current key standards applicable to the Township’s Fourth Round obligation including the various categories of credits. Age-Restricted Housing A municipality may not satisfy more than 30% of the affordable units, exclusive of bonus credits, to address its prospective need affordable housing obligation through the creation of age-restricted housing. Transitional Housing Transitional housing units, which will be affordable for persons of low- and moderate-income, were not previously categorized by the Fair Housing Act as a standalone housing type. The amended legislation includes such transitional housing units as a new category which may be included in the HE/FSP and credited towards the fulfillment of a municipality’s fair share obligations. This is limited to a maximum of 10% of the municipality’s obligations. Veterans Housing Up to 50% of the affordable units in any particular project may be prioritized for low- and moderate-income veterans. Families with Children A minimum of 50% of a municipality’s actual affordable housing units, exclusive of bonus credits, must be made available to families with children. Rental Units A minimum of 25% of a municipality’s actual affordable housing units, exclusive of bonus credits, shall be satisfied through rental units. At least half of that number shall be available to families with children. Very-Low Income Requirement At least 13% of the housing units made available for occupancy by low-income and moderate-income houses shall be reserved for low-income households earning 30% or less of the median income pursuant to the Fair Share Housing Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-301, et seq. Half of the