Borough · New Jersey
Carteret, New Jersey
Carteret, borough, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Carteret had 25,781 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 25,326 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 25,496 (±46). GEOID 3410750.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
25,781
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 25,326 · ACS 2020-2024: 25,496 ±46
Median household income
$96,862
±$15,768 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$405,800
±$22,374 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$2,032
±$148 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Carteret and what county is it in?
Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It covers 4.4 square miles of land, 5,768 residents per square mile in 2020.
Carteret is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carteret, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 25,781 people lived in Carteret on July 1, 2025, up 1.8% since 2020, slower than New Jersey (+2.8%). The 2020 Census counted 25,326 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 25,496 (±46).
| Measure | Carteret | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 25,496 ±46 | 871,290 | +1,907 |
| Households | 8,224 ±377 | 307,782 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.10 ±0.14 | 2.75 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,741 ±461 | 317,979 | no clear change |
Carteret's population since 2000
From 20,709 in 2000 to 25,781 in 2025: up 24.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carteret as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Carteret?
The median resident of Carteret is 38.2 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 14.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 34.2%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 25.7%. 33.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Carteret | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 ±2.9 | 39.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% ±1.9 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.4% ±1.7 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 48.4% ±2.4 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 34.2% ±3.8 pts | 23.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 18.7% ±2.9 pts | 37.5% | −7.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 18.6% ±3.8 pts | 9.7% | +6.6 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 25.7% ±4.3 pts | 25.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±1.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 33.7% ±4.1 pts | 35.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 54.9% ±5.5 pts | 47.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.7% ±1.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| With a disability | 11.7% ±2.6 pts | 10.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.7% ±4.6 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.4% ±2.7 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.1% ±3.2 pts | 45.6% | +5.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.7% ±2.2 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.3% ±1.6 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±0.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Carteret earn?
Half of Carteret's 8,224 households earn less than $96,862 a year (±$15,768), against $111,549 in Middlesex County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $90,268 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Carteret | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $96,862 ±$15,768 | $111,549 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $121,113 ±$11,274 | $142,003 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,591 ±$3,193 | $50,601 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.2% ±1.8 pts | 8.6% | −4.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.3% ±3.5 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.7% ±3.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.5% ±3.0 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.6% ±3.1 pts | 94.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Carteret?
Owners occupy 54.7% of Carteret's occupied homes and renters 45.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $405,800 by its owner (±$22,374). The median renter pays $2,032 a month including utilities, and 31.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Carteret | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $405,800 ±$22,374 | $462,900 | +$70,805 |
| Median gross rent | $2,032 ±$148 | $1,871 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.0% ±8.6 pts | 38.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,602 ±$123 | $2,877 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.7% ±5.4 pts | 63.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.3% ±5.4 pts | 36.4% | – |
| Housing units | 8,741 ±461 | 317,979 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.5% ±1.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 49.5% ±5.4 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% ±1.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.8% ±2.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.8% ±3.1 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.0% ±3.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Carteret building?
Builders took permits for 72 new housing units in Carteret in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.8 per 1,000 residents against 2.9 across New Jersey.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Carteret work and get to work?
68.1% of Carteret's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.1%.
| Measure | Carteret | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.7% ±3.5 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.1% ±3.2 pts | 6.7% | +4.4 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 68.1% ±3.6 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.6% ±2.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 6.9% ±2.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Walked | 2.7% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1% ±2.5 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.4 min ±2.2 | 31.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Carteret?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Carteret (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $65,570 (Tract 38.02) to $115,798 (Tract 36.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 36.01Middlesex County | 8,218 | $115,798 |
| Tract 38.01Middlesex County | 5,847 | $102,303 |
| Tract 38.02Middlesex County | 3,995 | $65,570 |
| Tract 37Middlesex County | 3,962 | $108,368 |
| Tract 35Middlesex County | 3,439 | $105,139 |
| Tract 9800Middlesex County | 35 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Carteret) · Census block assignment files
How does Carteret compare with other places in New Jersey?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carteret is the 1,557th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 38th-most populous of 323 in New Jersey.
Carteret ranks 525th of 771 places in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 38th | 323 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 294th | 532 |
| Residents per square mile | 119th | 787 |
| Median household income | 525th | 771 |
| Per capita income | 680th | 785 |
| Median home value | 451st | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 213th | 701 |
| Poverty rate | 197th | 539 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 591st | 780 |
| Median age | 653rd | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 675th | 777 |
| Work from home | 547th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 334th | 787 |
Carteret's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Carteret with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Carteret?
6 of the 57 figures for Carteret on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carteret are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Carteret.