By and large, the smaller towns are down the shore and predominately Republican, while the larger towns are closer to New York City and predominantly Democratic. I have no idea what Christie was thinking, but that could have played into it.
The point is not that the distribution proves retaliation against Hoboken. It doesn't. But it also doesn't prove that there was no retaliation. If there was retaliation against Hoboken, it will be much more subtle then can be proven with simple data.
I have even seen it suggested that Christie came up with a ridiculously simple distribution formula that was flawed in its simplicity but had the merit of concealing any retaliatory intent. I don't believe that to be the case, but I can't rule it out either