Population 385,864 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mercer County
Household size in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.77 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Mercer County average 2.68 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in New Jersey as a whole, where it has 2.76 people. Household size has edged down from 2.77 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.3 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Mercer County are younger than 40.3 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.3, 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Mercer County as they are nationally: 12.3%, against 11.6%. Compared with other New Jersey counties, Mercer County 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 Mercer County
Renters in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.9% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.8% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Mercer County than nationally: 37.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 40.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has risen 5.7 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Mercer County: 6.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across New Jersey. Vacancy is down 3.6 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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Mercer County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,155 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,260 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,433 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,780 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$626 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mercer County pays $1,780 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in New Jersey overall ($1,896). Rent has climbed $626 a month since 2006–10, up 54%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Mercer County
Bachelor's degrees in Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.3% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Mercer County (45.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southwest.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Mercer County have finished high school as nationally: 88.4%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in New Jersey as a whole (90.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Mercer County
| Period | Mercer County | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Mercer County than nationally: unemployment was 6.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Mercer County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 2.68 | 40.3 | 12.3% | 37.8% | 6.7% | 1967 | $1,780 | 45.3% | 88.4% | 6.6% |
| Bucks County | 2.62 | 44.8 | 8.0% | 22.2% | 4.2% | 1975 | $1,800 | 44.8% | 94.9% | 4.3% |
| Monmouth County | 2.65 | 44.0 | 7.8% | 24.4% | 6.8% | 1974 | $2,113 | 51.0% | 93.9% | 5.3% |
| Montgomery County | 2.57 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 28.6% | 5.6% | 1971 | $1,793 | 53.7% | 95.0% | 4.4% |
| Berks County | 2.64 | 40.8 | 13.2% | 28.7% | 5.9% | 1967 | $1,310 | 26.6% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| Lebanon County | 2.53 | 41.5 | 10.0% | 28.7% | 6.6% | 1971 | $1,242 | 24.6% | 88.2% | 4.2% |
| Dauphin County | 2.43 | 39.7 | 12.3% | 36.9% | 6.2% | 1971 | $1,286 | 33.6% | 90.5% | 5.0% |
| Cumberland County | 2.45 | 41.2 | 8.0% | 28.7% | 6.6% | 1978 | $1,389 | 41.0% | 93.7% | 3.5% |
| Westmoreland County | 2.26 | 47.1 | 8.1% | 21.6% | 8.4% | 1966 | $990 | 33.0% | 95.6% | 4.7% |
| Washington County | 2.36 | 44.5 | 8.0% | 23.9% | 10.6% | 1969 | $1,098 | 33.9% | 94.6% | 4.8% |
| Brooke County | 2.19 | 47.2 | 8.1% | 25.4% | 9.2% | 1964 | $696 | 23.4% | 93.4% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Manatee County, FL · Rockingham County, NH · Richland County, SC · Pulaski County, AR · Prince William County, VA · Placer County, CA · Pinal County, AZ · Ottawa County, MI · Orleans Parish, LA · Orange County, NY
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 Mercer County. 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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