1st Advantage MortgageThe median Somerset County household earns $140,374, and 5% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Somerset County
- What Somerset County households earn
- How Somerset County residents earn a living
- Somerset County housing compared with New Jersey
- Towns and communities in Somerset County
- Counties near Somerset County
- Budget math at the Somerset County median
- Reading the Somerset County data as a borrower
- Somerset County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Licensing and complaints for Somerset County
- Checklist for Somerset County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Somerset County
Somerset County is home to about 349,846 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 13th most populous of 21 county-level areas in New Jersey. It covers 302 square miles of land, or about 1,159 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. North Plainfield is the biggest of its 49 Census places, at roughly 22,809 people (7% of the county total).
What Somerset County households earn
Half of Somerset County households take in less than $140,374 a year and half take in more, 36% above the New Jersey median of $103,556. In the state ranking that is 2nd of 21.
| Household income | Somerset County | vs New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 10.4% | -6.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 23.8% | -7.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.0% | +2.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 33.8% | +12.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 66% of Somerset County households make $100,000 or more, and 10% make less than $35,000. Census counts 5.4% of Somerset County residents in poverty, against 9.7% across New Jersey. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.460 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Somerset County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Somerset County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 18%. Compared with New Jersey, the county leans toward manufacturing (13% against 8%). The survey's unemployment rate for Somerset County averages 4.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.3%). 23% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 23% work from home. Households without a car make up 4.0% of the total (11.1% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Somerset County workers | vs New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% | -1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 18.2% | +3.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.7% | +4.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 9.4% | +0.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.3% | -1.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 5.5% | -1.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Somerset County housing compared with New Jersey
Renters in Somerset County pay a median of $2,033 a month, 18% above the New Jersey figure of $1,720. By the Census definition, 49% of Somerset County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $552,100, about 3.9 times the median household income. Owners occupy 74% of homes. Median construction year: 1982.
| Cost | Somerset County | New Jersey figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $2,033/mo | $1,720/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $552,100 | $454,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 32% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% | 0.9% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Towns and communities in Somerset County
The table lists the 14 largest of 49 Census places in Somerset County, by population. Together all 49 hold about 281,508 people, so roughly 20% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $250,001 at the median in Blackwells Mills, $83,197 in Weston. Rent is cheapest in Basking Ridge ($546) and steepest in Liberty Corner ($3,501). No Somerset County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 49.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Plainfield | borough | 22,809 | $87,349 | $1,752 | 10 mi |
| Somerset | CDP | 22,720 | $121,028 | $2,121 | 7 mi |
| Hillsborough | CDP | 22,585 | $144,112 | $1,986 | 4 mi |
| Bradley Gardens | CDP | 14,165 | $177,849 | $2,670 | 2 mi |
| Somerville | borough | 13,410 | $103,760 | $1,802 | 1 mi |
| Franklin Park | CDP | 13,211 | $114,946 | $2,157 | 9 mi |
| Bound Brook | borough | 12,219 | $90,571 | $1,973 | 4 mi |
| Martinsville | CDP | 11,559 | $205,000 | $2,171 | 3 mi |
| East Franklin | CDP | 11,070 | $115,458 | $2,056 | 9 mi |
| Manville | borough | 10,921 | $93,333 | $1,844 | 2 mi |
| The Hills | CDP | 10,785 | $154,564 | $2,376 | 6 mi |
| Blackwells Mills | CDP | 10,301 | $250,001 | $3,206 | 6 mi |
| Raritan | borough | 8,368 | $107,672 | $2,112 | 1 mi |
| Basking Ridge | CDP | 7,917 | $188,295 | $546 | 10 mi |
Counties near Somerset County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Somerset County's, from 14 to 25 miles away. Hunterdon County leads the group on income ($141,715), Essex County trails ($80,789), and Somerset County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | - | $140,374 | $2,033/mo | 74% |
| Middlesex County, NJ | 14 mi | $111,549 | $1,871/mo | 64% |
| Hunterdon County, NJ | 15 mi | $141,715 | $1,687/mo | 85% |
| Union County, NJ | 18 mi | $103,202 | $1,730/mo | 57% |
| Mercer County, NJ | 20 mi | $100,645 | $1,623/mo | 62% |
| Morris County, NJ | 21 mi | $137,326 | $1,904/mo | 74% |
| Essex County, NJ | 25 mi | $80,789 | $1,531/mo | 45% |
Budget math at the Somerset County median
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Somerset County's medians:
- $11,698 a month: gross income for a household at the Somerset County median
- Rent at the median, $2,033, takes 17% of that
- Under a 40% cap, $4,679 total minus rent leaves $2,646
Two-income households and single earners in Somerset County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Reading the Somerset County data as a borrower
Based on the Somerset County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Vehicle repairs. 23% of Somerset County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 66% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- 49% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Somerset County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 58% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 5.4%, against 7.5% for New Jersey.
| People and households | Somerset County | New Jersey | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 40.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 57.8% | 43.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.0% | 9.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.4% | 7.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 11.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 22.7% | 16.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.4% | 9.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.7% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 19.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.9% |
| 60+ min | 13.3% |
Licensing and complaints for Somerset County
Somerset County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on New Jersey: New Jersey personal loans.
Checklist for Somerset County applicants
Quick steps for Somerset County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A New Jersey license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the New Jersey guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Somerset County a high-income county?
Its $140,374 median ranks 2nd of 21 New Jersey counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Somerset County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $2,033 against $1,720 statewide, and 49% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Does this page cover North Plainfield?
Yes, along with the other 48 Census places in Somerset County, such as Somerset, Hillsborough, Bradley Gardens.
Does living in Somerset County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Somerset County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Somerset County?
Start with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.