Population 15,833 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dunellen
Household size in Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.81 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.00 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.90 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Dunellen average 2.90 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.81, even as the national average fell.
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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.6 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.4 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.6 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Dunellen skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 38.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Dunellen (11.6%), the same as the national share. Compared with other New Jersey cities, Dunellen has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Dunellen
Renters in Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.3% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.2% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over three in ten households in Dunellen rent their homes (31.2%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 35.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Dunellen: 6.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Dunellen is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Still, homes here are newer than in the wider New York area, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,339 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,467 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,829 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,968 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$629 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Dunellen runs $1,968 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $629 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.7% 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 southeast; the highest are in the northwest.
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 Dunellen
Bachelor's degrees in Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.3% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.8% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.0% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Dunellen (42.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest 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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.3% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in Dunellen never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 4.3 points, even as the national rate rose. Dunellen has a lower 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 Dunellen
| Period | Dunellen | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Dunellen: 6.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 1.3 points, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Dunellen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunellen | 2.90 | 44.4 | 11.6% | 31.2% | 6.0% | 1968 | $1,968 | 42.0% | 86.3% | 6.5% |
| Middlesex | 2.63 | 42.4 | 16.0% | 25.2% | 3.5% | 1972 | $1,556 | 38.0% | 90.0% | 3.4% |
| North Plainfield | 3.27 | 36.7 | 12.8% | 40.2% | 2.9% | 1949 | $1,901 | 23.0% | 78.9% | 8.2% |
| Warren | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.7% | 12.6% | 4.1% | 1984 | $2,071 | 67.9% | 97.0% | 3.6% |
| Piscataway | 2.98 | 37.0 | 8.0% | 37.4% | 6.6% | 1976 | $2,154 | 55.7% | 92.0% | 7.9% |
| Plainfield | 3.52 | 33.0 | 27.8% | 54.8% | 6.8% | 1953 | $1,822 | 20.6% | 70.6% | 8.8% |
| Watchung | 2.63 | 45.6 | 11.6% | 24.9% | 5.9% | 1976 | $2,544 | 59.6% | 94.7% | 6.7% |
| South Plainfield | 2.92 | 42.5 | 4.8% | 14.1% | 3.8% | 1971 | $2,133 | 44.5% | 92.0% | 5.2% |
| Bound Brook | 2.81 | 38.0 | 16.6% | 49.3% | 3.6% | 1958 | $2,019 | 31.5% | 85.1% | 4.2% |
| South Bound Brook | 2.73 | 36.1 | 14.0% | 42.1% | 4.7% | 1965 | $1,799 | 24.2% | 89.0% | 7.0% |
| Martinsville | 2.89 | 42.9 | 3.1% | 2.9% | 6.6% | 1977 | $2,039 | 73.9% | 98.8% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cumberland, RI · Pickens, SC · Comstock Park, MI · Pinckney, MI · Corning, NY · Coto de Caza, CA · Plainville, CT · Coweta, OK · Portales, NM · Crowley, LA
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 Dunellen. 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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