City profile · New Jersey · Census ACS 2023

Plainsboro Center, NJ

Plainsboro Center's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

2,683
Residents
$117,363
Median income
$474,300
Median home
$2,132
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Plainsboro Center, NJ - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Plainsboro Center.

Place dossier plate

Sheet NJ-PLAINSBORO-CENTER-NJ · Plainsboro Center, NJ 2,683 pop · income 86th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 2,683
  • INC-TOP $117,363
  • COL-ABOVE 108.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 86th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Centerville CDP…
  • HOME-HIGH $474,300
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Centerville CDP (Shasta County), CA ( $7 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Plainsboro Center

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Plainsboro Center on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Plainsboro Center on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,683.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $117,363. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Plainsboro Center - the verdict

Plainsboro Center ranks in the 86th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

86th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
94th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Plainsboro Center, NJ

New Jersey's Plainsboro Center is a small town, with 2,683 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $117,363 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Plainsboro Center are valued around $474,300, and the median resident age is 36.0 years. 86.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 76.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

New Jersey carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Jersey scores 108.8 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,132 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in New Jersey run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 90.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Plainsboro Center's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to comparison shortlist to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Plainsboro Center, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, matched public-school count, annual population history; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Plainsboro Center?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 48.8%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for Plainsboro Center?

Within New Jersey, the closest population matches are West Belmar (2,682 residents, $113,083 income); Seaville (2,678 residents, $148,095 income); Palermo (2,667 residents, $98,000 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Colwyn, PA (2,683 residents); Fobes Hill, WA (2,683 residents); Arcadia, LA (2,682 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

How far does income reach against housing in Plainsboro Center?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.0 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 0.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

2,683 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$117,363 /yr

High income · poverty 0.0% (Very low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

108.8 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, New Jersey average

City profile score · Plainsboro Center, NJ

73/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Poverty rate A+
0.0%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share A+
86.9%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income A
$117,363

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Cost of living F
108.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Plainsboro Center profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Cost of living. Poverty rateBachelor's+ shareHousehold incomeCost of living 73 B
Plainsboro Center profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Poverty rate: 100/100 (A+) · 0.0%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 100/100 (A+) · 86.9%
  • Household income: 85/100 (A) · $117,363
  • Cost of living: 10/100 (F) · 108.8 index

How does Plainsboro Center compare to other US cities?

Plainsboro Center measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 86% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 94% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Plainsboro Center against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Jersey only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Jersey-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Plainsboro Center near the bottom of New Jersey's cities

Among the 686 New Jersey cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Plainsboro Center ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Plainsboro Center only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#257 of 659
61st percentile in New Jersey
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 686
0th percentile in New Jersey
Median Home Value
#241 of 672
64th percentile in New Jersey
Poverty Rate
#540 of 680
0th percentile in New Jersey
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#6 of 686
99th percentile in New Jersey
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Jersey only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

86thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

86th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Plainsboro Center's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$474,300 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Plainsboro Center $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Plainsboro Center's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.0×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#10,824 of 15,516
More affordable than 30% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#8,447 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 4.0×, Plainsboro Center sits in the moderate band: national rank #10,824 of 15,516 and #8,447 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$117,363 Plainsboro Center, NJ median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Plainsboro Center, NJ Plainsboro Center, NJ's median household income ($117,363) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Plainsboro Center, NJ-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Plainsboro Center, NJ median $117,363/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Plainsboro Center, NJ median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Plainsboro Center, NJ.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 86.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 76.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,683
Median Income
$117,363
Median Home Value
$474,300
Median Age
36.0
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
76.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
86.9%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
48.8%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
10.4%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
37.3%

Based on 1,726 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

New Jersey statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $275

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across New Jersey at $275 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $60 ).

These are New Jersey statewide averages, not a meter reading for Plainsboro Center. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

New Jersey's BEA cost-of-living index is 108.8 (Well Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Plainsboro Center is $2,132/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to New Jersey statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.8 / 100 (Very High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a New Jersey statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Plainsboro Center sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Plainsboro Center compares to similar-size New Jersey cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Plainsboro Center (this city) 2,683 $117,363
West Belmar 2,682 $113,083
Seaville 2,678 $148,095
Palermo 2,667 $98,000
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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