Mercer County, NJ

County

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2023 Population
383,286
0.116% 1-year decline
US Senator
Cory Booker
Democratic Party
US Senator
Andy Kim
Democratic Party
2023 Median Age
39.2
0.254% 1-year decrease
2023 Poverty Rate
11.1%
1.34% 1-year decrease
2023 Median Household Income
$96,333
3.92% 1-year growth
2023 Median Property Value
$351,000
7.14% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
186,085
0.206% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Mercer County, NJ had a population of 383k people with a median age of 39.2 and a median household income of $96,333. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Mercer County, NJ declined from 383,732 to 383,286, a −0.116% decrease and its median household income grew from $92,697 to $96,333, a 3.92% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, NJ are White (Non-Hispanic) (44.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (18.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (12%), Other (Hispanic) (8.85%), and Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (5.74%).

None of the households in Mercer County, NJ reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

86.6% of the residents in Mercer County, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mercer County, NJ are Princeton University (2,390 degrees awarded in 2023), The College of New Jersey (2,161 degrees), and Thomas Edison State University (2,026 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Mercer County, NJ was $351,000, and the homeownership rate was 61.9%.

Most people in Mercer County, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Mercer County, NJ was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: State Capitol Rotunda, Trenton, NJ
Photo by Peter Miller
United StatesNew JerseyTrenton, NJ

Population & Diversity

Mercer County, NJ is home to a population of 383k people, from which 86.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 25.6% of Mercer County, NJ residents were born outside of the country (98k people).

In 2023, there were 2.41 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (170k people) in Mercer County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 70.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 45.9k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.6%
2023 Citizenship
87.5%
2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 86.6% of Mercer County, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Mercer County, NJ was 87.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mercer County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, NJ
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    170k ± 401
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    70.3k ± 1.12k
  3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    45.9k ± 521
22.2%
Hispanic Population
85.3k people

In 2023, there were 2.41 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (170k people) in Mercer County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 70.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 45.9k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

22.2% of the people in Mercer County, NJ are hispanic (85.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Mercer County, NJ as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.
Most Common Origin
  1. India
    273,706 ± 12,653 people
  2. Dominican Republic
    205,965 ± 11,018 people
  3. Mexico
    107,667 ± 8,009 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 273,706 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 205,965 and Mexico with 107,667.

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Foreign-Born Population

25.6%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
98k people
24.4%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
93.6k people

As of 2023, 25.6% of Mercer County, NJ residents (98k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mercer County, NJ was 24.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mercer County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    3,493 ± 535
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,111 ± 583
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    1,278 ± 294

Mercer County, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.65 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Mercer County, NJ employs 186k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Mercer County, NJ were Educational Services (25,963 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,758 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (19,693 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($158,309), Finance & Insurance ($114,601), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($106,555).

Employment

Occupations

186k
2023 Value
± 3,907
−0.206%
1 Year decline
± 2.96%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, NJ declined at a rate of −0.206%, from 186k employees to 186k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mercer County, NJ, are Management Occupations (24,232 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (20,457 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (16,486 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mercer County, NJ.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Jersey (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

186k
2023 Value
± 3,907
−0.206%
1 Year decline
± 2.96%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mercer County, NJ declined at a rate of −0.206%, from 186k employees to 186k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mercer County, NJ, are Educational Services (25,963 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,758 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (19,693 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mercer County, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Mercer County, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$63,732
Median earning men ± $3,176
$49,447
Median earning women ± $1,491

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($152,397), Information ($111,250), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($100,585).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($76,307), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($74,252), and Information ($69,738).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.
Y-Axis
2.27%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.24M people employed in New Jersey. This represents a 2.27% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 16.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Jersey.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 995
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 627
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 569
    Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $3.11M
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. $2.38M
    Wholesale Trade
  3. $2.36M
    Finance and Insurance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Mercer County, NJ awarded 9,094 degrees. The student population of Mercer County, NJ in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 17,193 male students and 18,083 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mercer County, NJ are White (4,467 and 53.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,173 and 14%), Black or African American (905 and 10.8%), and Asian (860 and 10.3%).

The largest universities in Mercer County, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Princeton University (2,390 and 26.3%), The College of New Jersey (2,161 and 23.8%), and Thomas Edison State University (2,026 and 22.3%).

The most popular majors in Mercer County, NJ are General Business Administration & Management (774 and 8.51%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (545 and 5.99%), and Other Multidisciplinary Studies (521 and 5.73%).

The median tuition costs in Mercer County, NJ are $48,705 for private four year colleges, and $10,672 and $14,594 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Mercer County, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 26.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 35,276 (48.7% men and 51.3% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 35,276 students enrolled in Mercer County, NJ, 48.7% men and 51.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 15,250 records, of which 49% were women and 51% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Business Administration & Management
    442 degrees awarded
  2. Other Multidisciplinary Studies
    418 degrees awarded
  3. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    298 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mercer County, NJ was General Business Administration & Management with 442 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mercer County, NJ according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Princeton University
    2,390 degrees awarded
  2. The College of New Jersey
    2,161 degrees awarded
  3. Thomas Edison State University
    2,026 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Princeton University with 2,390 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 4,227 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mercer County, NJ, which is 0.869 times less than the 4,867 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,467 degrees mean that there were 3.81 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,173 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($48,705) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($4,472) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,464) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.
Measure

In 2023, 1.22% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.18% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.91M), Bachelors Degree (1.8M), and Some college (1.26M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Mercer County, NJ was $351,000 in 2023, which is 1.16 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $327,600 to $351,000, a 7.14% increase. The homeownership rate in Mercer County, NJ is 61.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65%.

People in Mercer County, NJ have an average commute time of 27.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mercer County, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mercer County, NJ is $96,333. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mercer County, NJ was Census Tract 43.06, Mercer County, NJ with a value of $245,417, followed by Census Tract 42.03, Mercer County, NJ and Census Tract 43.09, Mercer County, NJ, with respective values of $244,583 and $214,856.

In 2024, 18.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator grew 0.0864%.

Housing

Property

$351,000
Median Property Value 2023
±$6,540
$87,554
Median Property Taxes
±$2,095

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mercer County, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Mercer County, NJ compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

61.9%
Homeownership
2023
61.2%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2023

In 2023, 61.9% of the housing units in Mercer County, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mercer County, NJ compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 43.06, Mercer County, NJ
  2. Census Tract 42.03, Mercer County, NJ
  3. Census Tract 43.09, Mercer County, NJ

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mercer County, NJ was Census Tract 43.06, Mercer County, NJ with a value of $245,417, followed by Census Tract 42.03, Mercer County, NJ and Census Tract 43.09, Mercer County, NJ, with respective values of $244,583 and $214,856.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mercer County, NJ colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$96,333
Median Household Income
± $2,433
141k
Number of Households
± 3,344

In 2023, the median household income of the 141k households in Mercer County, NJ grew to $96,333 from the previous year's value of $92,697.

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, NJ distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mercer County, NJ is from New Jersey.
0.486
2023 Wage GINI in New Jersey
0.489
2022 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2023, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.486 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.709% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New Jersey in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Jersey across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (61.5%)
  2. Worked At Home (17.8%)
  3. Carpooled (9.16%)

In 2023, 61.5% of workers in Mercer County, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.8%) and those who carpooled to work (9.16%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

27.6 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mercer County, NJ have a longer commute time (27.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 5.24% of the workforce in Mercer County, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mercer County, NJ compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mercer County, NJ have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 18.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator grew 0.0864%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mercer County, NJ (40.4k out of 365k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mercer County, NJ is Hispanic, followed by White and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 13.3% of the children was living in poverty in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.3%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 375 in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 74 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

92.4% of the population of Mercer County, NJ has health coverage, with 55.5% on employee plans, 15.1% on Medicaid, 11.7% on Medicare, 9.71% on non-group plans, and 0.328% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, NJ see 1,106 patients per year on average, which represents a 8.43% increase from the previous year (1,020 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1182 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 258 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,106 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mercer County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, NJ see an average of 1,106 patients per year. This represents a 8.43% increase from the previous year (1,020 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mercer County, NJ in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.9% under 18 years, 21% between 18 and 34 years, 39.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

7.63%
Uninsured
55.5%
Employer Coverage
15.1%
Medicaid
11.7%
Medicare
9.71%
Non-Group
0.328%
Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mercer County, NJ grew by 9.24% from 6.99% to 7.63%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mercer County, NJ changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 45.5 in Mercer County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer County, NJ.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 23.6% in Mercer County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer County, NJ.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.67% in Mercer County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer County, NJ.

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