Borough · New Jersey
Spotswood, New Jersey
Spotswood, borough, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Spotswood had 8,236 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,163 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,171 (±23). GEOID 3469810.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,236
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,163 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,171 ±23
Median household income
$105,060
±$15,063 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $103,556
Median home value
$369,900
±$19,763 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $454,400
Median gross rent
$1,079
±$236 (90% margin)
New Jersey: $1,720
Where is Spotswood and what county is it in?
Spotswood is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 3,529 residents per square mile in 2020.
Spotswood 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 Spotswood, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,236 people lived in Spotswood on July 1, 2025, up 1.1% since 2020, slower than New Jersey (+2.8%). The 2020 Census counted 8,163 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,171 (±23).
| Measure | Spotswood | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,171 ±23 | 871,290 | −98 |
| Households | 3,307 ±265 | 307,782 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.20 | 2.75 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,344 ±261 | 317,979 | no clear change |
Spotswood's population since 2000
From 7,880 in 2000 to 8,236 in 2025: up 4.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Spotswood 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 Spotswood?
The median resident of Spotswood is 46.0 years old; 17.4% are under 18 and 22.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 14.9%. 12.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Spotswood | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.0 ±5.4 | 39.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.4% ±2.5 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.3% ±5.4 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 46.1% ±4.9 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.9% ±4.5 pts | 23.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.3% ±5.1 pts | 37.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±2.9 pts | 25.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.5% ±4.8 pts | 35.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.3% ±5.0 pts | 47.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±2.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| With a disability | 12.6% ±4.4 pts | 10.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.8% ±4.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.9% ±3.1 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.9% ±5.9 pts | 45.6% | +11.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.0% ±3.3 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.2% ±2.8 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±1.5 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 Spotswood earn?
Half of Spotswood's 3,307 households earn less than $105,060 a year (±$15,063), against $111,549 in Middlesex County and $103,556 in New Jersey. In 2015-2019 it was $98,547 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Spotswood | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,060 ±$15,063 | $111,549 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $129,034 ±$13,752 | $142,003 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,411 ±$5,945 | $50,601 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.2% ±2.1 pts | 8.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.3% ±1.3 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.0% ±2.9 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.9% ±5.0 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.1% ±5.2 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 Spotswood?
Owners occupy 86.2% of Spotswood's occupied homes and renters 13.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $369,900 by its owner (±$19,763). The median renter pays $1,079 a month including utilities, and 48.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Spotswood | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $369,900 ±$19,763 | $462,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 ±$236 | $1,871 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.3% ±18.4 pts | 38.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,735 ±$107 | $2,877 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.2% ±4.6 pts | 63.6% | +8.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.8% ±4.6 pts | 36.4% | – |
| Housing units | 3,344 ±261 | 317,979 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.3% ±5.9 pts | 52.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.6% ±4.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.8% ±2.4 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.1% ±4.3 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 Spotswood building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Spotswood in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 0.5 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 Spotswood work and get to work?
71.6% of Spotswood's workers drive alone and 17.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.3 minutes.
| Measure | Spotswood | Middlesex County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±4.4 pts | 67.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.9% ±7.9 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.6% ±5.5 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.2% ±3.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.3% ±1.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.3% ±4.3 pts | 18.1% | +11.2 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.3 min ±3.6 | 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 Spotswood?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Spotswood (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $86,769 (Tract 81.01) to $121,563 (Tract 81.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 81.02Middlesex County | 4,221 | $121,563 |
| Tract 81.01Middlesex County | 3,950 | $86,769 |
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 Spotswood) · Census block assignment files
How does Spotswood compare with other places in New Jersey?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Spotswood is the 3,677th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 144th-most populous of 323 in New Jersey.
Spotswood ranks 451st 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 | 144th | 323 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 375th | 532 |
| Residents per square mile | 250th | 787 |
| Median household income | 451st | 771 |
| Per capita income | 455th | 785 |
| Median home value | 513th | 777 |
| Median gross rent | 682nd | 701 |
| Poverty rate | 397th | 539 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 485th | 780 |
| Median age | 226th | 786 |
| Owner-occupied share | 269th | 777 |
| Work from home | 347th | 695 |
| Travel time to work | 275th | 787 |
Spotswood's figures with every place in New Jersey (CSV)
Every place in New Jersey, sortable · Compare Spotswood 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 Spotswood?
12 of the 57 figures for Spotswood 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 Spotswood 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 Spotswood.