Population 21,659 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Plainfield
Household size in North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.18 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.17 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.07 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.27 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
North Plainfield is a place of big households: 3.27 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 3.18 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only ten of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.7 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
North Plainfield is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.7, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the northeast. Only 31 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in North Plainfield (12.8%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. North Plainfield has a higher 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 North Plainfield
Renters in North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.0% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.9% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.2% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in North Plainfield rent their homes (40.2%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in the New York area as a whole (48.6%). Among homeowners, 35.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 8.2 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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.9% of homes in North Plainfield are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 8.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. North Plainfield 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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1950 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in North Plainfield is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1949, 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. Only 23 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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,425 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,356 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,400 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,901 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$476 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in North Plainfield costs $1,901 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the New York area as a whole ($2,060). Rent has climbed $476 a month since 2006–10, up 33%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 North Plainfield
Bachelor's degrees in North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.7% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in North Plainfield have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.0%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged up 1.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 31 have a lower share of college graduates.
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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.3% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.9% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.4% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 78.9% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in North Plainfield never finished high school, well above the national share: only 78.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Only 14 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 North Plainfield
| Period | North Plainfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in North Plainfield: 8.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 2.2 points, even as the national rate fell. 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).
North Plainfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Plainfield | 3.27 | 36.7 | 12.8% | 40.2% | 2.9% | 1949 | $1,901 | 23.0% | 78.9% | 8.2% |
| 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% |
| Dunellen | 2.90 | 44.4 | 11.6% | 31.2% | 6.0% | 1968 | $1,968 | 42.0% | 86.3% | 6.5% |
| Fanwood | 2.88 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 15.1% | 2.8% | 1952 | $2,518 | 74.3% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| South Plainfield | 2.92 | 42.5 | 4.8% | 14.1% | 3.8% | 1971 | $2,133 | 44.5% | 92.0% | 5.2% |
| Scotch Plains | 2.98 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 19.6% | 5.0% | 1961 | $2,106 | 66.2% | 97.1% | 3.2% |
| Berkeley Heights | 2.80 | 46.1 | 3.8% | 8.9% | 3.6% | 1968 | $2,243 | 76.4% | 98.6% | 3.1% |
| Warren | 2.98 | 45.2 | 5.7% | 12.6% | 4.1% | 1984 | $2,071 | 67.9% | 97.0% | 3.6% |
| Gillette | 2.90 | 38.7 | 1.6% | 4.8% | 6.7% | 1974 | $2,650 | 68.6% | 95.6% | 7.1% |
| Middlesex | 2.63 | 42.4 | 16.0% | 25.2% | 3.5% | 1972 | $1,556 | 38.0% | 90.0% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Carson, CA · Bristol, PA · Bristol, RI · Broadview Heights, OH · Burlington, WI · Cameron Park, CA · Canyon, TX · Columbia Heights, MN · Covington, WA · Walker, 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 North Plainfield. 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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