Population 23,793 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cranford
Household size in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.78 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Cranford average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the wider New York area, where it has 2.79 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.74, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Cranford skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 41.4 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.4% of households in Cranford, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Cranford has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cranford
Renters in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.8% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.2% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.5% of households in Cranford rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About a third of owners (33.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Cranford: just 3.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 3.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Cranford has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Cranford is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Only 24 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,268 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,452 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,765 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,057 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$789 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cranford costs $2,057 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $789 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 28.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cranford
Bachelor's degrees in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.2% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.9% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.6% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.5% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.3 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Cranford is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (67.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.3 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.3% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.9% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Cranford: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points, in line with the national trend. Cranford has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cranford
| Period | Cranford | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Cranford than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cranford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranford | 2.63 | 43.1 | 4.4% | 22.5% | 3.2% | 1950 | $2,057 | 67.5% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Garwood | 2.34 | 42.8 | 4.9% | 43.4% | 3.4% | 1950 | $1,676 | 45.2% | 96.5% | 6.2% |
| Kenilworth | 2.97 | 43.0 | 15.6% | 25.7% | 9.0% | 1956 | $2,111 | 32.2% | 90.3% | 5.3% |
| Westfield | 2.93 | 41.8 | 6.0% | 19.3% | 3.5% | 1951 | $2,260 | 78.1% | 97.8% | 4.0% |
| Roselle Park | 2.68 | 40.5 | 11.6% | 41.0% | 3.7% | 1953 | $1,644 | 40.4% | 92.1% | 5.0% |
| Roselle | 2.79 | 39.4 | 11.2% | 45.8% | 4.3% | 1958 | $1,630 | 27.9% | 85.7% | 8.0% |
| Clark | 2.63 | 45.0 | 5.2% | 25.2% | 3.2% | 1962 | $1,641 | 47.2% | 94.4% | 4.2% |
| Linden | 2.93 | 39.8 | 14.6% | 42.1% | 6.0% | 1958 | $1,783 | 24.5% | 86.0% | 10.0% |
| Mountainside | 2.85 | 46.0 | 5.5% | 11.9% | 3.5% | 1957 | $3,334 | 68.6% | 96.9% | 3.9% |
| Springfield | 2.53 | 45.0 | 6.4% | 33.1% | 5.6% | 1963 | $2,460 | 63.7% | 94.6% | 4.6% |
| Union | 2.89 | 41.8 | 9.6% | 25.8% | 5.2% | 1960 | $2,008 | 41.6% | 88.8% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lynden, WA · Kennett Square, PA · King George, VA · Laguna Beach, CA · Latrobe, PA · Lebanon, MO · Lemont, IL · Libertyville, IL · Lincolnia, VA · Little River, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cranford. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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