Population 15,717 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Middlesex
Household size in Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.77 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Middlesex average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the New York area as a whole, where it has 2.79 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.69, as it has 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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.6 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.4 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.6 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Middlesex is 42.4 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has edged down from 43.0 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the south.
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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Middlesex (16.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Middlesex
Renters in Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.5% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Middlesex own their homes; 25.2% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly three in ten owners (29.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has risen 2.9 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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.5% of homes in Middlesex are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Middlesex 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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Middlesex leans older: the median home dates to 1972, against 1980 nationally. Locally, though, 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 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,272 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,309 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,444 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,556 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$283 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Middlesex costs $1,556 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider New York area ($2,060). Rent has climbed $283 a month since 2006–10, up 22%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.3% 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 Middlesex
Bachelor's degrees in Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.2% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.0% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Middlesex (38.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider New York area (43.6%). The share with a degree has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.0% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Middlesex is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the New York area overall (86.9%). Middlesex has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of 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 Middlesex
| Period | Middlesex | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Middlesex than nationally: unemployment was 3.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.2 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Middlesex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 2.63 | 42.4 | 16.0% | 25.2% | 3.5% | 1972 | $1,556 | 38.0% | 90.0% | 3.4% |
| Dunellen | 2.90 | 44.4 | 11.6% | 31.2% | 6.0% | 1968 | $1,968 | 42.0% | 86.3% | 6.5% |
| 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% |
| Piscataway | 2.98 | 37.0 | 8.0% | 37.4% | 6.6% | 1976 | $2,154 | 55.7% | 92.0% | 7.9% |
| Martinsville | 2.89 | 42.9 | 3.1% | 2.9% | 6.6% | 1977 | $2,039 | 73.9% | 98.8% | 4.3% |
| Warren | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.7% | 12.6% | 4.1% | 1984 | $2,071 | 67.9% | 97.0% | 3.6% |
| Franklin Center | 2.60 | 45.7 | 5.1% | 24.4% | 3.4% | 2007 | $2,506 | 65.5% | 96.5% | 5.0% |
| Finderne | 2.30 | 42.5 | 8.4% | 41.8% | 4.7% | 1968 | $2,089 | 38.1% | 91.5% | 5.4% |
| South Plainfield | 2.92 | 42.5 | 4.8% | 14.1% | 3.8% | 1971 | $2,133 | 44.5% | 92.0% | 5.2% |
| Zarephath | 2.92 | 33.0 | 2.9% | 43.0% | 3.5% | 2007 | $2,750 | 63.8% | 96.0% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Moore, SC · North Arlington, NJ · Norridge, IL · New Kensington, PA · New Cumberland, PA · New Cassel, NY · New Carrollton, MD · New Carlisle, OH · Neabsco, VA · Naguabo, PR
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 Middlesex. 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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