Population 21,031 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Amboy
Household size in South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in South Amboy has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.55 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.3, South Amboy 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 climbed from 42.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the center.
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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in South Amboy than nationally: 13.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 3.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. South Amboy has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of 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 South Amboy
Renters in South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.9% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.0% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.6% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in South Amboy own their homes; 29.6% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southwest. The renter share is up 5.3 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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in South Amboy: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.6 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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
South Amboy is a place of older homes: half were built before 1961, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the north.
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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,066 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,173 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,433 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,903 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$837 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
A typical rental in South Amboy costs $1,903 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider New York area ($2,060). Rent has climbed $837 a month since 2006–10, up 79%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 South Amboy
Bachelor's degrees in South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.5% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.5% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.0% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in South Amboy (28.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.2% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.3% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.6% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.2% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in South Amboy have finished high school as nationally: 90.2%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in the New York area as a whole (86.9%). The share with a diploma is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 South Amboy
| Period | South Amboy | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in South Amboy: 6.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. That is in line with the rest of the New York area. 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).
South Amboy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Amboy | 2.45 | 44.3 | 13.4% | 29.6% | 5.9% | 1961 | $1,903 | 28.2% | 90.2% | 6.9% |
| Parlin | 2.96 | 39.4 | 8.1% | 37.9% | 4.5% | 1973 | $1,798 | 37.2% | 94.2% | 6.8% |
| Madison Park | 3.29 | 30.9 | 23.2% | 100.0% | 10.8% | 1968 | $1,537 | 29.8% | 91.4% | 13.2% |
| Laurence Harbor | 2.42 | 42.4 | 8.5% | 16.4% | 11.0% | 1958 | $1,779 | 28.6% | 96.4% | 7.1% |
| Cliffwood | 2.76 | 32.0 | 8.8% | 34.5% | 6.9% | 1982 | $1,823 | 53.0% | 93.5% | 7.9% |
| Perth Amboy | 3.01 | 37.5 | 22.7% | 62.6% | 3.9% | 1961 | $1,676 | 16.6% | 67.8% | 13.6% |
| Keasbey | 2.38 | 48.3 | 29.0% | 72.7% | 3.2% | 1964 | $1,237 | 16.4% | 46.3% | 0.8% |
| Sayreville | 2.81 | 40.9 | 10.7% | 42.6% | 6.3% | 1973 | $1,818 | 34.7% | 90.0% | 4.8% |
| Matawan | 2.45 | 41.5 | 8.5% | 32.0% | 4.2% | 1980 | $1,851 | 45.2% | 94.6% | 6.1% |
| Keyport | 2.26 | 41.9 | 7.6% | 33.4% | 5.1% | 1958 | $1,732 | 34.6% | 91.7% | 9.9% |
| Fords | 2.85 | 42.3 | 7.1% | 33.5% | 2.7% | 1960 | $1,844 | 38.6% | 91.0% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Granite Bay, CA · Florida City, FL · Florida Ridge, FL · Forest Lake, MN · Forest Park, OH · Frankfort, IN · Gardner, MA · Gatesville, TX · Gloversville, NY · Floral Park, 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 South Amboy. 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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