Plainfield, NJ

Census Place

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2022 Population

54,358

0.323% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bob Menendez

Democratic Party

US Senator

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

33.1

2.93% 1-year decrease

2022 Poverty Rate

18.6%

8.51% 1-year increase

2022 Median Household Income

$70,712

10.9% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$351,500

22.3% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

26,528

2.37% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Plainfield, NJ had a population of 54.4k people with a median age of 33.1 and a median household income of $70,712. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Plainfield, NJ grew from 54,183 to 54,358, a 0.323% increase and its median household income grew from $63,750 to $70,712, a 10.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Plainfield, NJ are Other (Hispanic) (39.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (35%), White (Non-Hispanic) (8.14%), Two+ (Hispanic) (7.35%), and White (Hispanic) (4.24%).

None of the households in Plainfield, 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.

71.2% of the residents in Plainfield, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Plainfield, NJ are JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools (182 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Plainfield, NJ was $351,500, and the homeownership rate was 44.1%.

Most people in Plainfield, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Plainfield, NJ was 1 car per household.

United States New Jersey Union County, NJ New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Middlesex County (Northwest)--North Piscataway & South Plainfield PUMA, NJ Somerset County (Central)--Bridgewater, Somerville & North Plainfield PUMA, NJ Union County (Southwest)--Plainfield & Westfield PUMA, NJ

Population & Diversity

Plainfield, NJ is home to a population of 54.4k people, from which 71.2% are citizens. As of 2022, 38.9% of Plainfield, NJ residents were born outside of the country (21.2k people).

In 2022, there were 1.12 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (21.2k people) in Plainfield, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 19k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 4.43k White (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

71.2%

2022 Citizenship

73.8%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 71.2% of Plainfield, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Plainfield, NJ was 73.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Plainfield, NJ

Other (Hispanic)
21.2k ± 1.8k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
19k ± 1.49k
White (Non-Hispanic)
4.43k ± 784

52.4%

Hispanic Population

28.5k people

52.4% of the people in Plainfield, NJ are hispanic (28.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Plainfield, NJ as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.

Most Common Origin

India
273,669 ± 12,652 people
Dominican Republic
204,992 ± 10,992 people
Mexico
104,320 ± 7,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 273,669 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 204,992 and Mexico with 104,320.

Foreign-Born Population

38.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

21.2k people

37.2%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

20.1k people

As of 2022, 38.9% of Plainfield, NJ residents (21.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Plainfield, NJ was 37.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
275 ± 143
Gulf War (2001-)
188 ± 107
Gulf War (1990s)
180 ± 129

Plainfield, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.46 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Plainfield, NJ employs 26.5k people. The largest industries in Plainfield, NJ are Transportation & Warehousing (3,196 people), Construction (2,923 people), and Manufacturing (2,850 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($107,798), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($82,028), and Public Administration ($75,783).

Males in New Jersey have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $77,965. The income inequality in New Jersey (measured using the Gini index) is 0.489, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

26.5k

2022 Value

± 1,510

2.37%

1 Year growth

± 7.88%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Plainfield, NJ grew at a rate of 2.37%, from 25.9k employees to 26.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Plainfield, NJ, are Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (2,629 people), Production Occupations (2,625 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (2,552 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Plainfield, NJ.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

26.5k

2022 Value

± 1,510

2.37%

1 Year growth

± 7.88%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Plainfield, NJ grew at a rate of 2.37%, from 25.9k employees to 26.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Plainfield, NJ, are Transportation & Warehousing (3,196 people), Construction (2,923 people), and Manufacturing (2,850 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Plainfield, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Plainfield, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,115

Median earning men ± $2,493

$30,478

Median earning women ± $2,391

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($77,135), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($69,167), and Information ($55,954).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($66,864), Public Administration ($55,096), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($41,538).

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.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in New Jersey went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.696%).

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing the state of New Jersey. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Plainfield, NJ. Showing the available data for New Jersey.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (57.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41.4%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.696%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in New Jersey went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.696%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in New Jersey for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New Jersey

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Bob Menendez

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on January 17, 2006
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jon Corzine, who was elected Governor of New Jersey.

Cory Booker

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on October 31, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Jeffrey Chiesa, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Frank Lautenberg.

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing New Jersey.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New Jersey over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New Jersey

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New Jersey have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Plainfield, NJ awarded 182 degrees. The student population of Plainfield, NJ in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 88 male students and 494 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Plainfield, NJ are Black or African American (51 and 28%), followed by White (47 and 25.8%), Hispanic or Latino (42 and 23.1%), and Asian (17 and 9.34%).

The largest universities in Plainfield, NJ by number of degrees awarded are JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools (182 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Plainfield, NJ are Registered Nursing (167 and 91.8%), Diagnostic Medical Sonography & Ultrasound Technician (8 and 4.4%), and Radiographer (7 and 3.85%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2022 in Plainfield, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 100%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 100%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 582 (15.1% men and 84.9% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 582 students enrolled in Plainfield, NJ, 15.1% men and 84.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 161 records, of which 83.9% were women and 16.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
167 degrees awarded
Diagnostic Medical Sonography & Ultrasound Technician
8 degrees awarded
Radiographer
7 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Plainfield, NJ was Registered Nursing with 167 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Plainfield, NJ according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

182 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools with 182 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 23 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Plainfield, NJ, which is 0.145 times less than the 159 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Black or African American students. These 51 degrees mean that there were 1.09 times more degrees awarded to Black or African American students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 47 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($6,420) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($18,496) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($789) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 1.15% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.13% of women were in the same situation.

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

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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.92M), Bachelors Degree (1.77M), and Some college (1.3M).

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Plainfield, NJ was $351,500 in 2022, which is 1.25 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $287,300 to $351,500, a 22.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Plainfield, NJ is 44.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Plainfield, NJ have an average commute time of 30.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Plainfield, NJ is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Median household income in Plainfield, NJ is $70,712. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in Plainfield, NJ was Census Tract 391 with a value of $145,472, followed by Census Tract 397 and Census Tract 388, with respective values of $110,382 and $80,778.

Housing

Property

$351,500

Median Property Value 2022

±$12,213

$7,254

Median Property Taxes

±$646

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 Plainfield, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

44.1%

Homeownership

2022

59%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 44.1% of the housing units in Plainfield, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 41.6%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 391
Census Tract 397
Census Tract 388

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Plainfield, NJ was Census Tract 391 with a value of $145,472, followed by Census Tract 397 and Census Tract 388, with respective values of $110,382 and $80,778.

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

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,712

Median Household Income

± $7,808

16.5k

Number of Households

± 1,110

In 2022, the median household income of the 16.5k households in Plainfield, NJ grew to $70,712 from the previous year's value of $63,750.

The following chart displays the households in Plainfield, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Plainfield, NJ is from New Jersey.

0.489

2022 Wage GINI in New Jersey

0.49

2021 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2022, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.489 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.278% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (61.6%)
Other (16.4%)
Carpooled (7.06%)

In 2022, 61.6% of workers in Plainfield, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who used some unspecified means to get work (16.4%) and those who carpooled to work (7.06%).

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.

Commute Time

30.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Plainfield, NJ have a longer commute time (30.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 4.68% of the workforce in Plainfield, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Plainfield, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Plainfield, NJ have 1 car.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Plainfield, NJ (9.94k out of 53.5k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Plainfield, NJ is Hispanic, followed by Other 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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

74.1% of the population of Plainfield, NJ has health coverage, with 30.7% on employee plans, 28.5% on Medicaid, 8% on Medicare, 6.2% on non-group plans, and 0.755% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Union County, NJ see 1501 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.42% increase from the previous year (1480 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1147 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 449 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Union County, NJ.

1,501 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Union County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Union County, NJ see an average of 1,501 patients per year. This represents a 1.42% increase from the previous year (1,480 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 28.9% under 18 years, 24.3% between 18 and 34 years, 36.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 10.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.5% were men and 49.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

25.9%

Uninsured

30.7%

Employer Coverage

28.5%

Medicaid

Medicare

6.2%

Non-Group

0.755%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Plainfield, NJ grew by 6.36% from 24.3% to 25.9%.

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

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