Highlands is a very small coastal borough (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of New Jersey. With a population of 4,620 people and two associated neighborhoods, Highlands is the 331st largest community in New Jersey.

Housing costs in Highlands are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in New Jersey.

There are many members of the armed forces living in Highlands. You will notice when you visit or live here that some of the people you meet or see around town are employed by the armed services - even if they are not always in uniform.

Of important note, Highlands is also a borough of artists. Highlands has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Highlands’s character.

Also of interest is that Highlands has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

A relatively large number of people in Highlands telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 17.05% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

In addition, Highlands is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates", which are people who are not only wealthy and employed in professional occupations, but highly educated to boot. Urban sophisticates have urbane tastes - whether they reside in a big or small city, a suburb, or a little town. Urban sophisticates support bookstores, quality clothing stores, enjoy luxury travel, and in big cities, they are truly the patrons of the arts, attending and supporting institutions such as opera, symphony, ballet, and theatre.

Highlands is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

One downside of living in Highlands, however, is that residents on average have to contend with a long commute, spending on average 34.77 minutes every day commuting to work. However, local public transit is widely used. For those who would prefer to avoid driving entirely and leave their car at home, it may be an option to use the transit instead.

In Highlands, a lot of people use a ferryboat to get to work every day though Highlands is a relatively small borough. Those that ride a ferryboat are primarily traveling out of town to good jobs in other cities.

Highlands is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 49.67% of adults in Highlands have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher.

The per capita income in Highlands in 2022 was $72,422, which is upper middle income relative to New Jersey, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $289,688 for a family of four.

Highlands is a somewhat ethnically-diverse borough. The people who call Highlands home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Highlands residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Highlands include Italian, German, Irish, English, and Scottish.

The most common language spoken in Highlands is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Chinese.