Population 8,361 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mountainside
Household size in Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.73 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.85 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Mountainside holds 2.85 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.76 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the center.
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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.1 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.0, Mountainside is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has crept up from 45.7 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northeast.
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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.3% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.5% of households in Mountainside, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.8 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Mountainside
Renters in Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Mountainside is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 11.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (39.0%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.3 points, 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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.5% of homes in Mountainside are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.3 points, as it has nationally.
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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Mountainside is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the south. Mountainside has older homes than the great majority of New Jersey cities.
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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,178 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,584 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,730 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,334 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$2,156 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mountainside pays $3,334 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $2,156 a month since 2006–10, up 183%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 46.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only six of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have higher rents.
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 Mountainside
Bachelor's degrees in Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 61.8% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.0% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.6% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Mountainside is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (68.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 11.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the east.
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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.3% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.6% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.6% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Mountainside: 96.9% 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 2.6 points, in line with the national trend. Mountainside has a higher 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 Mountainside
| Period | Mountainside | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mountainside runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Mountainside has lower unemployment than at least four in five New Jersey cities. 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).
Mountainside 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountainside | 2.85 | 46.0 | 5.5% | 11.9% | 3.5% | 1957 | $3,334 | 68.6% | 96.9% | 3.9% |
| Westfield | 2.93 | 41.8 | 6.0% | 19.3% | 3.5% | 1951 | $2,260 | 78.1% | 97.8% | 4.0% |
| Springfield | 2.53 | 45.0 | 6.4% | 33.1% | 5.6% | 1963 | $2,460 | 63.7% | 94.6% | 4.6% |
| Garwood | 2.34 | 42.8 | 4.9% | 43.4% | 3.4% | 1950 | $1,676 | 45.2% | 96.5% | 6.2% |
| Summit | 2.79 | 43.4 | 6.9% | 31.4% | 5.1% | 1951 | $2,480 | 74.2% | 95.5% | 5.6% |
| New Providence | 2.55 | 45.7 | 5.2% | 22.7% | 6.4% | 1968 | $1,925 | 69.7% | 95.9% | 3.9% |
| Fanwood | 2.88 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 15.1% | 2.8% | 1952 | $2,518 | 74.3% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Scotch Plains | 2.98 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 19.6% | 5.0% | 1961 | $2,106 | 66.2% | 97.1% | 3.2% |
| Cranford | 2.63 | 43.1 | 4.4% | 22.5% | 3.2% | 1950 | $2,057 | 67.5% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Kenilworth | 2.97 | 43.0 | 15.6% | 25.7% | 9.0% | 1956 | $2,111 | 32.2% | 90.3% | 5.3% |
| Berkeley Heights | 2.80 | 46.1 | 3.8% | 8.9% | 3.6% | 1968 | $2,243 | 76.4% | 98.6% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Gages Lake, IL · Frankfort Square, IL · Franklin, NH · Fredericktown, MO · Fredericktown, OH · Freedom, CA · Freeport, ME · Friday Harbor, WA · Fruitvale, CO · Fowler, CA
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 Mountainside. 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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