Census tract · Union County
Census Tract 396, Union County, New Jersey
Census Tract 396, GEOID 34039039600, in Union County, New Jersey, entirely within Plainfield. 4,114 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±797); the 2020 Census counted 4,515.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,114
±797 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,515
Median household income
$106,094
±$38,473 (90% margin)
Union County: $103,202
Median home value
$409,100
±$51,492 (90% margin)
Union County: $529,200
Median gross rent
$1,777
±$135 (90% margin)
Union County: $1,730
Where is Census Tract 396?
Census Tract 396 is one of 120 census tracts in Union County, New Jersey. It covers 0.59 square miles of land, 7,601 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 34039039600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Plainfield | 100% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 396: Tract 8.01 in Middlesex County ($136,085), Tract 9.01 in Middlesex County ($126,000), Tract 392 ($83,828), Tract 393.01 ($62,083), Tract 393.02 ($49,175), Tract 394 ($88,315), Tract 395.01 ($87,500) and Tract 397 ($101,010). 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 396?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 396's population at 4,114 (±797) in 1,315 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,515 residents and 1,557 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 396 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,114 ±797 | 55,236 |
| Households | 1,315 ±143 | 15,907 |
| Average household size | 2.85 ±0.32 | 3.41 |
| Housing units | 1,415 ±145 | 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 396?
The median resident of Census Tract 396 is 38.1 years old; 23.7% are under 18 and 13.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 54.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 35.7%. 26.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 396 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 ±4.4 | 32.4 |
| Under 18 years | 23.7% ±6.2 pts | 28.9% |
| 65 years and over | 13.9% ±3.4 pts | 10.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 35.7% ±9.6 pts | 57.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±4.4 pts | 6.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 54.2% ±9.0 pts | 32.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±2.1 pts | 1.8% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 1.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 26.4% ±7.9 pts | 41.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 33.4% ±10.4 pts | 58.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.5% ±2.2 pts | 2.0% |
| With a disability | 9.9% ±3.2 pts | 7.5% |
| No health insurance coverage | 17.1% ±7.3 pts | 28.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.8% ±7.5 pts | 71.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.8% ±6.5 pts | 22.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.7% ±4.2 pts | 7.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±8.2 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 396 earn?
Half of the 1,315 households in Census Tract 396 earn less than $106,094 a year (±$38,473), against $103,202 across Union County: 54th highest of the county's 118 tracts with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Tract 396 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,094 ±$38,473 | $85,908 |
| Mean household income | $111,061 ±$16,683 | $106,305 |
| Per capita income | $37,993 ±$7,642 | $30,960 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.7% ±11.5 pts | 15.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.3% ±22.3 pts | 22.7% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.5% ±8.0 pts | 15.1% |
| Households with a computer | 98.9% ±1.4 pts | 97.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.1% ±2.7 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 396?
Owners occupy 58.9% of Census Tract 396's occupied homes and renters 41.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $409,100 by its owner (±$51,492). The median renter pays $1,777 a month including utilities, and 59.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 396 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $409,100 ±$51,492 | $410,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,777 ±$135 | $1,767 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 59.8% ±16.1 pts | 43.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,492 ±$245 | $2,689 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 58.9% ±10.6 pts | 44.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 41.1% ±10.6 pts | 55.2% |
| Housing units | 1,415 ±145 | 16,712 |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.6% ±9.2 pts | 42.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 3.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.1% ±8.0 pts | 35.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.2% ±4.9 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 396 get to work?
65.6% of Census Tract 396's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 33.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 396 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.3% ±8.6 pts | 73.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% ±5.6 pts | 8.9% |
| Drove alone to work | 65.6% ±9.6 pts | 58.0% |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±5.5 pts | 6.8% |
| Public transportation | 10.8% ±8.5 pts | 5.2% |
| Walked | 2.2% ±2.6 pts | 1.7% |
| Worked from home | 5.8% ±4.6 pts | 6.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.8 min ±5.0 | 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 396 compare with the other tracts in Union County?
Among Union County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 396 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Union County | In Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 81st of 120 | 7th of 12 |
| Residents per square mile | 63rd of 120 | 10th of 12 |
| Median household income | 54th of 118 | 2nd of 12 |
| Per capita income | 74th of 119 | 3rd of 12 |
| Median home value | 83rd of 115 | 6th of 11 |
| Median gross rent | 55th of 113 | 6th of 12 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67th of 114 | 3rd of 10 |
| Median age | 75th of 120 | 3rd of 12 |
| Owner-occupied share | 55th of 115 | 3rd of 11 |
The tracts next to it on Union County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 328 | 51st | $109,018±$30,528 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 308.02 | 52nd | $108,400±$7,968 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 326 | 53rd | $107,917±$10,818 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 396 | 54th | $106,094±$38,473 |
| Tract 338 | 55th | $105,742±$22,938 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 343 | 56th | $104,850±$14,409 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 322 | 57th | $102,854±$14,689 · 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 396?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 396 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.
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