Population 29,490 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rahway
Household size in Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Rahway sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the New York area overall, where it has 2.79 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.70, a much bigger shift than 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.5 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Rahway are younger than 41.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 40.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Rahway (15.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 38 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 Rahway
Renters in Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.5% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.7% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Rahway than nationally: 47.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 28.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is up 10.2 points from 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Rahway: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.7 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1954 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Rahway is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Still, homes here are newer than in the New York area overall, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1954 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,206 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,381 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,457 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,014 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$808 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
Rent in Rahway runs $2,014 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $808 a month from 2006–10, a 67% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the west.
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 Rahway
Bachelor's degrees in Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.5% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.4% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Rahway as nationally: 34.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider New York area (43.6%). The share with a degree is up 13.0 points from 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.8% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Rahway have finished high school as nationally: 90.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the wider New York area (86.9%). The share with a diploma has risen 3.5 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 Rahway
| Period | Rahway | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Rahway: 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Rahway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahway | 2.61 | 41.0 | 15.4% | 47.7% | 5.9% | 1969 | $2,014 | 34.6% | 90.3% | 7.3% |
| Clark | 2.63 | 45.0 | 5.2% | 25.2% | 3.2% | 1962 | $1,641 | 47.2% | 94.4% | 4.2% |
| Avenel | 2.66 | 39.7 | 11.5% | 53.9% | 3.9% | 1978 | $1,822 | 36.6% | 87.5% | 4.9% |
| Colonia | 3.07 | 43.1 | 6.4% | 11.2% | 0.8% | 1960 | $2,048 | 49.4% | 91.8% | 4.6% |
| Linden | 2.93 | 39.8 | 14.6% | 42.1% | 6.0% | 1958 | $1,783 | 24.5% | 86.0% | 10.0% |
| Iselin | 3.05 | 41.0 | 13.5% | 34.7% | 5.1% | 1962 | $2,357 | 53.2% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Port Reading | 2.76 | 40.7 | 10.7% | 26.2% | 5.4% | 1967 | $1,945 | 34.1% | 95.4% | 2.7% |
| Roselle | 2.79 | 39.4 | 11.2% | 45.8% | 4.3% | 1958 | $1,630 | 27.9% | 85.7% | 8.0% |
| Carteret | 3.18 | 38.6 | 19.0% | 45.3% | 6.3% | 1962 | $2,025 | 29.8% | 85.6% | 9.2% |
| Cranford | 2.63 | 43.1 | 4.4% | 22.5% | 3.2% | 1950 | $2,057 | 67.5% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Woodbridge | 2.64 | 41.2 | 12.1% | 39.1% | 6.8% | 1964 | $1,904 | 36.9% | 92.4% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Geneva, IL · Hixson, TN · Hillsborough, NC · Hermiston, OR · Haymarket, VA · Hackettstown, NJ · Gulf Breeze, FL · Graham, NC · Gloucester, MA · Glen Cove, 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 Rahway. 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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