Census-designated place · New Jersey
Preakness, New Jersey
Preakness, census-designated place, in Passaic County, New Jersey. Preakness had 18,520 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,037). GEOID 3460810.
Residents, 2020-2024
18,520
±1,037 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 18,487
Median household income
$133,205
±$17,201 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$617,700
±$25,892 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$1,918
±$187 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Preakness and what county is it in?
Preakness is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Passaic County, New Jersey. It covers 5.7 square miles of land, 3,258 residents per square mile in 2020.
Preakness is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Preakness lies entirely within Wayne 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 Preakness, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Preakness's population at 18,520 (±1,037). The 2020 Census counted 18,487 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Preakness is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Preakness | Passaic County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 18,520 ±1,037 | 521,012 | – |
| Households | 6,602 ±397 | 178,936 | – |
| Average household size | 2.76 ±0.16 | 2.86 | – |
| Housing units | 6,759 ±380 | 185,816 | – |
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 Preakness?
The median resident of Preakness is 41.0 years old; 23.7% are under 18 and 20.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 13.5%. 21.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Preakness | Passaic County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 ±1.8 | 38.1 | – |
| Under 18 years | 23.7% ±2.4 pts | 23.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.4% ±2.4 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±2.8 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.5% ±2.5 pts | 44.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.6% ±3.4 pts | 37.9% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±1.4 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 12.2% ±2.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 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 | 1.6% ±0.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 21.8% ±3.8 pts | 33.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 34.1% ±5.1 pts | 51.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.9% ±1.3 pts | 2.7% | – |
| With a disability | 7.5% ±1.6 pts | 9.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.5% ±1.1 pts | 12.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9% ±1.3 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 57.1% ±3.9 pts | 30.9% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.1% ±3.6 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.9% ±2.1 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Preakness earn?
Half of Preakness's 6,602 households earn less than $133,205 a year (±$17,201), against $87,522 in Passaic County and $103,556 in New Jersey. 3.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Preakness | Passaic County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $133,205 ±$17,201 | $87,522 | – |
| Mean household income | $158,402 ±$13,805 | $117,469 | – |
| Per capita income | $57,082 ±$5,243 | $40,703 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 3.3% ±1.1 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.5% ±1.8 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.3% ±1.7 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±1.9 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.9% ±2.2 pts | 92.5% | – |
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 Preakness?
Owners occupy 70.6% of Preakness's occupied homes and renters 29.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $617,700 by its owner (±$25,892). The median renter pays $1,918 a month including utilities, and 40.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Preakness | Passaic County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $617,700 ±$25,892 | $459,500 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,918 ±$187 | $1,621 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.9% ±10.1 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,542 ±$257 | $3,014 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.6% ±3.8 pts | 53.1% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.4% ±3.8 pts | 46.9% | – |
| Housing units | 6,759 ±380 | 185,816 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.7% ±2.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.5% ±4.3 pts | 41.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2% ±1.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.8% ±1.7 pts | 28.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.0% ±1.8 pts | 13.9% | – |
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 Preakness work and get to work?
70.2% of Preakness's workers drive alone and 16.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.6%.
| Measure | Preakness | Passaic County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.6% ±3.6 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% ±1.8 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.2% ±4.5 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.8% ±3.3 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 5.1% ±2.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.9% ±2.9 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.8 min ±2.2 | 26.5 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 Preakness?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Preakness, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $100,633 (Tract 2461.02) to $165,792 (Tract 2461.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2461.01Passaic County | 6,381 | $165,792 |
| Tract 2461.03Passaic County | 6,662 | $154,000 |
| Tract 2461.02Passaic County | 3,304 | $100,633 |
| Tract 2461.04Passaic County | 2,965 | $109,798 |
| Tract 2460.01Passaic County | 5,138 | $113,409 |
| Tract 2460.03Passaic County | 6,179 | $190,306 |
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 Preakness) · Census block assignment files
How does Preakness compare with other places in New Jersey?
Preakness ranks 250th 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) | 159th | 787 |
| Residents per square mile | 271st | 787 |
| Median household income | 250th | 771 |
| Per capita income | 359th | 785 |
| Median home value | 175th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 260th | 701 |
| Poverty rate | 462nd | 539 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 238th | 780 |
| Median age | 499th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 524th | 777 |
| Work from home | 360th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 428th | 787 |
Preakness's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Preakness 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 Preakness?
10 of the 57 figures for Preakness 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 Preakness 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.