South Plainfield, NJ

Census Place

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2024 Population
24,473
US Senator
Cory Booker
Democratic Party
US Senator
Andy Kim
Democratic Party
2024 Poverty Rate
2.98%
16% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$130,239
3.31% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$470,900
6.08% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
12,708
0.0945% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in South 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.

91.9% of the residents in South Plainfield, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in South Plainfield, NJ are Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield (202 degrees awarded in 2023) and Innovate Salon Academy (194 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in South Plainfield, NJ was $470,900, and the homeownership rate was 85.9%.

Most people in South Plainfield, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.7 minutes. The average car ownership in South Plainfield, NJ was 2 cars per household.

United StatesNew JerseyMiddlesex County, NJNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PAMiddlesex County (Northwest)--North Piscataway & South Plainfield PUMA, NJMiddlesex County (North Central)--Metuchen & South Edison PUMA, NJ

Population & Diversity

South Plainfield, NJ is home to a population of 24.5k people, from which 91.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 23.9% of South Plainfield, NJ residents were born outside of the country (5.85k people).

In 2024, there were 2.25 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.7k people) in South Plainfield, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.22k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 2.38k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

91.9%
2024 Citizenship
92.3%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 91.9% of South Plainfield, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in South Plainfield, NJ was 92.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in South Plainfield, 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 South Plainfield, NJ
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    11.7k ± 827
  2. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    5.22k ± 851
  3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    2.38k ± 660
17%
Hispanic Population
4.16k people

In 2024, there were 2.25 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.7k people) in South Plainfield, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.22k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 2.38k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

17% of the people in South Plainfield, NJ are hispanic (4.16k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

23.9%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
5.85k people
23.4%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
5.66k people

As of 2024, 23.9% of South Plainfield, NJ residents (5.85k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in South Plainfield, NJ was 23.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    166 ± 76
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    129 ± 96
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    54 ± 52

South Plainfield, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in South Plainfield, NJ.

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Economy

The economy of South Plainfield, NJ employs 12.7k people. In 2024, the largest industries in South Plainfield, NJ were Educational Services (1,590 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,479 people), and Manufacturing (1,340 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($122,978), Finance & Insurance ($122,500), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($117,765).

Employment

Occupations

12.7k
2024 Value
± 768
0.0945%
1 Year growth
± 8.84%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in South Plainfield, NJ grew at a rate of 0.0945%, from 12.7k employees to 12.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in South Plainfield, NJ, are Management Occupations (1,784 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,490 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (1,021 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of South Plainfield, 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

12.7k
2024 Value
± 768
0.0945%
1 Year growth
± 8.84%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in South Plainfield, NJ grew at a rate of 0.0945%, from 12.7k employees to 12.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in South Plainfield, NJ, are Educational Services (1,590 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,479 people), and Manufacturing (1,340 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of South Plainfield, NJ, though some of these residents may live in South Plainfield, 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

$79,213
Median earning men ± $3,390
$54,478
Median earning women ± $5,253

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($125,208), Information ($104,315), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($92,813).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($130,357), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($100,536), and Public Administration ($98,382).

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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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Education

In 2023, universities in South Plainfield, NJ awarded 396 degrees. The student population of South Plainfield, NJ in 2023 is skewed towards men, with 346 male students and 225 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in South Plainfield, NJ are Hispanic or Latino (150 and 37.9%), White (134 and 33.8%), Black or African American (76 and 19.2%), and Two or More Races (16 and 4.04%).

The largest universities in South Plainfield, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield (202 and 51%) and Innovate Salon Academy (194 and 49%).

The most popular majors in South Plainfield, NJ are Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (113 and 28.5%), Welding Technology (104 and 26.3%), and Medium or Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology (78 and 19.7%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 571 students enrolled in South Plainfield, NJ, 60.6% men and 39.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 245 records, of which 46.1% were women and 53.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Welding Technology
    104 degrees awarded
  2. Medium or Heavy Vehicle & Truck Technology
    78 degrees awarded
  3. General Cosmetology
    60 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in South Plainfield, NJ was Welding Technology with 104 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in South Plainfield, NJ according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield
    202 degrees awarded
  2. Innovate Salon Academy
    194 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield with 202 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 206 men were awarded degrees from institutions in South Plainfield, NJ, which is 1.08 times more than the 190 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 150 degrees mean that there were 1.12 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 134 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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Housing & Living

The median property value in South Plainfield, NJ was $470,900 in 2024, which is 1.42 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $443,900 to $470,900, a 6.08% increase. The homeownership rate in South Plainfield, NJ is 85.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in South Plainfield, NJ have an average commute time of 29.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in South Plainfield, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$470,900
Median Property Value 2024
±$9,099
$7,174
Median Property Taxes
±$430

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

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

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Rent vs Own

85.9%
Homeownership
2024
61.2%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 85.9% of the housing units in South Plainfield, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 85.2%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$130,239
Median Household Income
± $8,213
8.35k
Number of Households
± 591

In 2024, the median household income of the 8.35k households in South Plainfield, NJ grew to $130,239 from the previous year's value of $126,063.

The following chart displays the households in South 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 $200k+ range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for South Plainfield, 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 2024
  1. Drove Alone (72%)
  2. Worked At Home (16.4%)
  3. Carpooled (7.9%)

In 2024, 72% of workers in South Plainfield, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.4%) and those who carpooled to work (7.9%).

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

29.7 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in South Plainfield, NJ have a longer commute time (29.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.62% of the workforce in South Plainfield, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in South Plainfield, 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 South Plainfield, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in South Plainfield, NJ have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

2.98% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in South Plainfield, NJ (723 out of 24.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Males 65 - 74.

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

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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Health

96.8% of the population of South Plainfield, NJ has health coverage, with 62% on employee plans, 8.96% on Medicaid, 15.4% on Medicare, 10.5% on non-group plans, and 0.0206% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in New Jersey see 1,279 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,279 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1157 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 320 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.1% under 18 years, 17.2% between 18 and 34 years, 41.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

3.16%
Uninsured
62%
Employer Coverage
8.96%
Medicaid
15.4%
Medicare
10.5%
Non-Group
0.0206%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in South Plainfield, NJ declined by 4.71% from 3.31% to 3.16%.

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

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