Census tract · Union County
Census Tract 388, Union County, New Jersey
Census Tract 388, GEOID 34039038800, in Union County, New Jersey, entirely within Plainfield. 5,194 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±707); the 2020 Census counted 4,898.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,194
±707 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,898
Median household income
$82,402
±$17,108 (90% margin)
Union County: $103,202
Median home value
$369,200
±$27,919 (90% margin)
Union County: $529,200
Median gross rent
$2,037
±$276 (90% margin)
Union County: $1,730
Where is Census Tract 388?
Census Tract 388 is one of 120 census tracts in Union County, New Jersey. It covers 0.61 square miles of land, 8,003 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 34039038800, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Plainfield | 100% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 388: Tract 520.01 in Somerset County ($120,882), Tract 523 in Somerset County ($173,672), Tract 384 ($172,256), Tract 387.01 ($167,054), Tract 389 ($71,174), Tract 390 ($85,294) and Tract 391 ($149,956). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 388?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 388's population at 5,194 (±707) in 1,689 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,898 residents and 1,741 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 388 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,194 ±707 | 55,236 |
| Households | 1,689 ±173 | 15,907 |
| Average household size | 3.06 ±0.34 | 3.41 |
| Housing units | 1,735 ±166 | 16,712 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 388?
The median resident of Census Tract 388 is 37.1 years old; 23.0% are under 18 and 11.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 55.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 33.5%. 31.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 388 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 ±4.1 | 32.4 |
| Under 18 years | 23.0% ±3.9 pts | 28.9% |
| 65 years and over | 11.2% ±4.0 pts | 10.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 33.5% ±9.3 pts | 57.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 7.0% ±3.7 pts | 6.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 55.7% ±9.5 pts | 32.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±2.3 pts | 1.8% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 1.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 31.9% ±7.5 pts | 41.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 38.0% ±9.7 pts | 58.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5% ±2.1 pts | 2.0% |
| With a disability | 7.9% ±2.8 pts | 7.5% |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.1% ±7.2 pts | 28.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.7% ±6.2 pts | 71.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.5% ±8.0 pts | 22.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.2% ±3.7 pts | 7.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.5% ±8.0 pts | 85.8% |
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 Census Tract 388 earn?
Half of the 1,689 households in Census Tract 388 earn less than $82,402 a year (±$17,108), against $103,202 across Union County: 81st highest of the county's 118 tracts with a reliable estimate. 15.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 388 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,402 ±$17,108 | $85,908 |
| Mean household income | $99,362 ±$13,577 | $106,305 |
| Per capita income | $33,190 ±$5,581 | $30,960 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.8% ±8.1 pts | 15.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.8% ±15.7 pts | 22.7% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.1% ±6.1 pts | 15.1% |
| Households with a computer | 96.0% ±4.3 pts | 97.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.7% ±4.4 pts | 95.0% |
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 Census Tract 388?
Owners occupy 57.3% of Census Tract 388's occupied homes and renters 42.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $369,200 by its owner (±$27,919). The median renter pays $2,037 a month including utilities, and 48.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 388 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $369,200 ±$27,919 | $410,800 |
| Median gross rent | $2,037 ±$276 | $1,767 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.4% ±14.3 pts | 43.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,592 ±$461 | $2,689 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.3% ±9.6 pts | 44.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.7% ±9.6 pts | 55.2% |
| Housing units | 1,735 ±166 | 16,712 |
| Single-family detached homes | 53.5% ±11.5 pts | 42.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±2.1 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.6% ±3.8 pts | 3.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.9% ±9.1 pts | 35.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.5% ±6.8 pts | 12.7% |
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 Census Tract 388 get to work?
63.5% of Census Tract 388's workers drive alone and 11.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.0%.
| Measure | Tract 388 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.0% ±7.5 pts | 73.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.0% ±4.9 pts | 8.9% |
| Drove alone to work | 63.5% ±7.2 pts | 58.0% |
| Carpooled | 1.7% ±1.9 pts | 6.8% |
| Public transportation | 8.6% ±4.6 pts | 5.2% |
| Walked | 5.3% ±4.1 pts | 1.7% |
| Worked from home | 11.5% ±5.7 pts | 6.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.2 min ±5.2 | 29.5 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
How does Census Tract 388 compare with the other tracts in Union County?
Among Union County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 388 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Union County | In Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 52nd of 120 | 5th of 12 |
| Residents per square mile | 61st of 120 | 9th of 12 |
| Median household income | 81st of 118 | 8th of 12 |
| Per capita income | 86th of 119 | 4th of 12 |
| Median home value | 101st of 115 | 10th of 11 |
| Median gross rent | 36th of 113 | 2nd of 12 |
| Poverty rate | 26th of 64 | 6th of 10 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 71st of 114 | 5th of 10 |
| Median age | 84th of 120 | 4th of 12 |
| Owner-occupied share | 58th of 115 | 4th of 11 |
The tracts next to it on Union County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 309 | 78th | $87,379±$11,495 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 390 | 79th | $85,294±$16,897 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 392 | 80th | $83,828±$35,226 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 388 | 81st | $82,402±$17,108 |
| Tract 349 | 82nd | $82,007±$26,483 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 339 | 83rd | $81,892±$26,643 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 320.02 | 84th | $81,532±$27,067 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 388?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 388 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections