Population 24,279 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Scotch Plains
Household size in Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.87 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.98 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.24 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Scotch Plains is a place of big households: 2.98 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.74, even as the national average fell.
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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.4 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.6 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Scotch Plains is 42.6 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age is little changed from 2006–10, while the national median rose.
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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Scotch Plains: 7.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while 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 Scotch Plains
Renters in Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.6% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Scotch Plains is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About a third of owners (33.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.7 points from 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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Scotch Plains are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, 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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Scotch Plains is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The New York area as a whole looks much the same. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,506 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,500 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,862 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,106 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$600 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Scotch Plains costs $2,106 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $600 a month since 2006–10, up 40%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.4% of household income on rent, 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 Scotch Plains
Bachelor's degrees in Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.1% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.7% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 61.3% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.2% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Scotch Plains: 66.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 11.0 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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.6% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.4% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Scotch Plains: 97.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Scotch Plains 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 Scotch Plains
| Period | Scotch Plains | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Scotch Plains has been strong: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only 35 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have lower unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Scotch Plains 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotch Plains | 2.98 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 19.6% | 5.0% | 1961 | $2,106 | 66.2% | 97.1% | 3.2% |
| Fanwood | 2.88 | 42.6 | 7.5% | 15.1% | 2.8% | 1952 | $2,518 | 74.3% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Westfield | 2.93 | 41.8 | 6.0% | 19.3% | 3.5% | 1951 | $2,260 | 78.1% | 97.8% | 4.0% |
| Plainfield | 3.52 | 33.0 | 27.8% | 54.8% | 6.8% | 1953 | $1,822 | 20.6% | 70.6% | 8.8% |
| Mountainside | 2.85 | 46.0 | 5.5% | 11.9% | 3.5% | 1957 | $3,334 | 68.6% | 96.9% | 3.9% |
| Garwood | 2.34 | 42.8 | 4.9% | 43.4% | 3.4% | 1950 | $1,676 | 45.2% | 96.5% | 6.2% |
| North Plainfield | 3.27 | 36.7 | 12.8% | 40.2% | 2.9% | 1949 | $1,901 | 23.0% | 78.9% | 8.2% |
| Clark | 2.63 | 45.0 | 5.2% | 25.2% | 3.2% | 1962 | $1,641 | 47.2% | 94.4% | 4.2% |
| Watchung | 2.63 | 45.6 | 11.6% | 24.9% | 5.9% | 1976 | $2,544 | 59.6% | 94.7% | 6.7% |
| Cranford | 2.63 | 43.1 | 4.4% | 22.5% | 3.2% | 1950 | $2,057 | 67.5% | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| 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: Amsterdam, NY · Mountain Brook, AL · Oakland, CT · Norton Shores, MI · Northfield, MN · North Haven, CT · Newton, NC · Newport, RI · New Caney, TX · Natchitoches, 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 Scotch Plains. 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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