Rutherford is a city of 18,894 people in New Jersey. This is an unusually credentialed place: 61% of adults have a four-year degree. Few US cities rank higher on income. Median household income runs $143,153, well clear of the $82,259 US median. Households here earn about 38% more than in New Jersey as a whole. There are 6,794 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $143,153, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
61% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 52%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Rutherford
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree32.4% → 60.5%(+28.1 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$501,854 → $603,600(+20%)US over the same years: +67%
White share85.0% → 59.8%(−25.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)27.6%(97)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.3%(61)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era17.3%(61)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.4%(26)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 352 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Rutherford, decade by decade
Rutherford population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
17,790
$111,601
$501,854
32.4%
33.7
2000
18,110
$116,258
$396,392
40.3%
50.9
2010
18,061
$123,405
$660,879
46.5%
62.4
2020
18,834
$129,466
$577,173
51.9%
73.6
2024
18,894
$143,153
$603,600
60.5%
72.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
