Census-designated place · New Jersey
Somerset, New Jersey
Somerset, census-designated place, in Somerset County, New Jersey. Somerset had 22,720 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,383). GEOID 3468370.
Residents, 2020-2024
22,720
±1,383 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 22,968
Median household income
$121,028
±$9,222 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$438,800
±$13,518 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$2,121
±$164 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Somerset and what county is it in?
Somerset is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Somerset County, New Jersey. It covers 6.3 square miles of land, 3,629 residents per square mile in 2020.
Somerset is in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 22 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Somerset lies entirely within Franklin Township (Somerset County), 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 Somerset, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Somerset's population at 22,720 (±1,383). The 2020 Census counted 22,968 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Somerset is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Somerset | Somerset County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 22,720 ±1,383 | 349,846 | no clear change |
| Households | 9,492 ±655 | 130,802 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.12 | 2.64 | −0.28 |
| Housing units | 9,750 ±661 | 133,639 | 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 Somerset?
The median resident of Somerset is 41.3 years old; 18.6% are under 18 and 17.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 32.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 28.1%. 29.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Somerset | Somerset County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 ±1.5 | 41.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.6% ±2.1 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.2% ±1.9 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±2.4 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.6% ±3.3 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 32.7% ±3.4 pts | 49.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 28.1% ±4.0 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 23.1% ±3.1 pts | 19.6% | +4.9 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±1.4 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 29.1% ±3.2 pts | 27.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 32.3% ±4.2 pts | 34.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±1.1 pts | 3.2% | – |
| With a disability | 10.0% ±1.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.8% ±0.6 pts | 5.4% | −2.3 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.3% ±1.3 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 62.0% ±3.5 pts | 57.8% | +8.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 26.2% ±3.9 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.3% ±3.2 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Somerset earn?
Half of Somerset's 9,492 households earn less than $121,028 a year (±$9,222), against $140,374 in Somerset County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $118,389 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Somerset | Somerset County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $121,028 ±$9,222 | $140,374 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $143,976 ±$10,003 | $191,543 | – |
| Per capita income | $60,499 ±$4,623 | $72,193 | +$7,907 |
| People below the poverty line | 4.5% ±1.6 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.3% ±6.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.4% ±1.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0% ±0.7 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.8% ±1.0 pts | 95.8% | – |
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 Somerset?
Owners occupy 72.9% of Somerset's occupied homes and renters 27.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $438,800 by its owner (±$13,518). The median renter pays $2,121 a month including utilities, and 45.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Somerset | Somerset County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $438,800 ±$13,518 | $552,100 | +$50,024 |
| Median gross rent | $2,121 ±$164 | $2,033 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.8% ±11.1 pts | 40.5% | +17.3 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,674 ±$151 | $3,156 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.9% ±4.1 pts | 74.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.1% ±4.1 pts | 25.7% | – |
| Housing units | 9,750 ±661 | 133,639 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.1% ±4.6 pts | 57.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.2 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.5% ±1.6 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
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 Somerset work and get to work?
66.1% of Somerset's workers drive alone and 20.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.8%.
| Measure | Somerset | Somerset County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.4% ±2.7 pts | 70.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±1.3 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 66.1% ±4.6 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±2.1 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 6.6% ±2.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.4% ±3.3 pts | 22.7% | +14.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.3 min ±3.3 | 31.4 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 Somerset?
4 census tracts lie mostly in Somerset, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $81,458 (Tract 531.02) to $152,278 (Tract 531.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 531.05Somerset County | 7,822 | $129,176 |
| Tract 531.03Somerset County | 5,669 | $152,278 |
| Tract 543.02Somerset County | 5,558 | $119,068 |
| Tract 531.02Somerset County | 3,572 | $81,458 |
| Tract 532Somerset County | 7,921 | $109,082 |
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 Somerset) · Census block assignment files
How does Somerset compare with other places in New Jersey?
Somerset ranks 323rd 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) | 124th | 787 |
| Residents per square mile | 238th | 787 |
| Median household income | 323rd | 771 |
| Per capita income | 291st | 785 |
| Median home value | 385th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 169th | 701 |
| Poverty rate | 377th | 539 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 175th | 780 |
| Median age | 474th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 487th | 777 |
| Work from home | 257th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 134th | 787 |
Somerset's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Somerset 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 Somerset?
8 of the 57 figures for Somerset 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 Somerset 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.