Census-designated place · New Jersey
Plainsboro Center, New Jersey
Plainsboro Center, census-designated place, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Plainsboro Center had 2,760 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,773 (±492). GEOID 3459285.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,760
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,773 ±492
Median household income
$119,317
±$4,561 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$483,300
±$143,018 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$2,099
±$154 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Plainsboro Center and what county is it in?
Plainsboro Center is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 3,755 residents per square mile in 2020.
Plainsboro Center is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Plainsboro Center lies entirely within Plainsboro Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Plainsboro Center, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,760 residents in Plainsboro Center, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,773 (±492).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Plainsboro Center is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Plainsboro Center | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,773 ±492 | 871,290 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,461 ±271 | 307,782 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.90 ±0.25 | 2.75 | −0.48 |
| Housing units | 1,461 ±271 | 317,979 | no clear change |
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 Plainsboro Center?
The median resident of Plainsboro Center is 37.1 years old; 18.2% are under 18 and 13.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Asian residents at 44.9%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 40.7%. 50.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Plainsboro Center | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 ±5.8 | 39.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.2% ±5.9 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.2% ±5.5 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 53.9% ±7.8 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.6% ±3.1 pts | 23.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 40.7% ±12.7 pts | 37.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.4% ±7.5 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 44.9% ±12.3 pts | 25.4% | −20.7 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±3.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 50.6% ±10.3 pts | 35.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 55.4% ±11.8 pts | 47.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| With a disability | 4.1% ±4.4 pts | 10.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 7.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.4% ±4.6 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 83.2% ±7.4 pts | 45.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 48.1% ±10.5 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.8% ±13.5 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±2.4 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 Plainsboro Center earn?
Half of Plainsboro Center's 1,461 households earn less than $119,317 a year (±$4,561), against $111,549 in Middlesex County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $126,556 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Plainsboro Center | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $119,317 ±$4,561 | $111,549 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $144,528 ±$22,187 | $142,003 | – |
| Per capita income | $77,038 ±$13,065 | $50,601 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 1.9% ±2.5 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±8.5 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±3.1 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.3% ±6.5 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 Plainsboro Center?
Owners occupy 34.4% of Plainsboro Center's occupied homes and renters 65.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $483,300 by its owner (±$143,018). The median renter pays $2,099 a month including utilities, and 22.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Plainsboro Center | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $483,300 ±$143,018 | $462,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $2,099 ±$154 | $1,871 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.8% ±14.5 pts | 38.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,956 ±$836 | $2,877 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 34.4% ±10.3 pts | 63.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 65.6% ±10.3 pts | 36.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,461 ±271 | 317,979 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 25.3% ±8.5 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.0% ±8.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±2.5 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.8% ±4.2 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 do people in Plainsboro Center work and get to work?
45.7% of Plainsboro Center's workers drive alone and 47.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.6 minutes.
| Measure | Plainsboro Center | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.6% ±7.1 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±2.9 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 45.7% ±10.4 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.4% ±2.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 47.3% ±11.2 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.6 min ±6.1 | 31.2 min | −12.4 min |
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 Plainsboro Center?
No census tract lies mostly in Plainsboro Center; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 86.04Middlesex County | 5,494 | $125,976 |
| Tract 86.02Middlesex County | 6,543 | $155,313 |
| Tract 86.05Middlesex County | 3,335 | $135,893 |
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 Plainsboro Center) · Census block assignment files
How does Plainsboro Center compare with other places in New Jersey?
Plainsboro Center ranks 335th of 771 places in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 616th | 787 |
| Residents per square mile | 225th | 787 |
| Median household income | 335th | 771 |
| Per capita income | 133rd | 785 |
| Median home value | 304th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 179th | 701 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12th | 780 |
| Median age | 698th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 751st | 777 |
| Work from home | 2nd | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 676th | 787 |
Plainsboro Center's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Plainsboro Center 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 Plainsboro Center?
24 of the 57 figures for Plainsboro Center 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 Plainsboro Center 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' school search.