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CITY · 2020 ACS

South Plainfield

New Jersey · 24,338 residents · 8.30 sq mi
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The short version

With 24,338 people, South Plainfield is a city in New Jersey. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. Households take in $108,244 a year at the median, 63% more than the country as a whole. The poverty rate is 3.1%, under the national 12.8%. That is roughly 27% ahead of the New Jersey median. Median rent is $1,675 a month.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.7
US median: 38.8
More educated
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

24,338
+12%since 2000
from 21,810 in 2000
1990 – 2025
40.7
+7%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
8.30 sq mi
Population, 19902024
20K21K22K24K25K19902000201020202024South Plainfield
202424K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.5%(1,347)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(1,333)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(1,394)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.2%(1,497)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(1,415)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.3%(3,235)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.3%(3,225)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.6%(3,307)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.4%(3,503)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410%(2,424)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844.5%(1,093)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.3%(565)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$108,244
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,466 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$40,875
+62%since 2000
from $25,270 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
69.2%
+9.3 ptssince 2009
from 59.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
3.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 10%
Information9.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services7.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance6.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Wholesale trade6.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration5.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing4.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$352,200
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $166,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,675
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $976 in 2000
US average: $1,124
80.7%
−8.3 ptssince 2000
from 89.1% in 2000
19.3% rent
2.89 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.99 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.3
−16%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic72.9%(15,902)
Black8.2%(1,798)
Hispanic / Latino8.7%(1,888)
Asian7.5%(1,632)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic47.6%(11,588)
Black10.3%(2,496)
Hispanic / Latino18.7%(4,555)
Asian18.8%(4,579)
Other3.3%(795)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican5.4%(1,292)
Dominican2.4%(584)
Ecuadorian2%(475)
Salvadoran1.7%(408)
Colombian1.7%(400)
Guatemalan1.5%(366)
Cuban0.7%(176)
Mexican0.5%(112)
Spaniard0.3%(60)
Peruvian0.2%(53)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.2%(38)
Panamanian0.1%(14)
Asian origin
Asian Indian8.6%(2,072)
Filipino1.8%(426)
Pakistani1.3%(300)
Chinese0.8%(185)
Vietnamese0.4%(90)
Korean0.3%(79)
Taiwanese0.2%(55)
Bangladeshi0.2%(37)
Japanese0.1%(18)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Italian19.7%(4,729)
German11.7%(2,793)
Irish11.4%(2,724)
Polish8.1%(1,946)
English2.8%(663)
American2.6%(627)
Russian1.6%(382)
Guyanese1.5%(370)
Hungarian1.4%(330)
West Indian1.4%(329)
Portuguese1.2%(292)
French1.1%(255)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Slovak1%(251)
Scottish1%(247)
Ukrainian1%(245)
Swedish0.9%(214)
Jamaican0.8%(187)
Dutch0.7%(168)
Lithuanian0.7%(158)
Greek0.6%(152)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(150)
Egyptian0.4%(90)
British0.3%(83)
Norwegian0.3%(78)
Arab0.3%(73)
Welsh0.3%(73)
Jordanian0.3%(61)
Australian0.2%(57)
Czech0.2%(54)
Nigerian0.2%(52)
Austrian0.2%(49)
Romanian0.2%(49)
Swiss0.2%(44)
Brazilian0.2%(43)
Haitian0.1%(33)
Croatian0.1%(26)
Lebanese0.1%(20)
Danish0.1%(19)
Israeli0.1%(13)
Syrian0%(5)
Serbian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

38.9%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 24.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.7%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 84.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
13.9%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

29.7 min
+65%since 2000
from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
79.5%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 83.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
3.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.9%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
69.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2011
from 72.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.3%
US average: 73.3%
43.1%
+7.6 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

50.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
49.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
21.5%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
4.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2013
from 8.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.3%
US average: 91.9%
90.5%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married28.5%(2,885)
Married64.2%(6,495)
Widowed2.5%(250)
Divorced4.8%(486)
Women 15+
Never married23.9%(2,426)
Married58.9%(5,994)
Widowed9.4%(958)
Divorced7.8%(790)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

4.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2013
from 8.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
73.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
15.5%
US average: 13.7%
18.1%
US average: 17.6%
8.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
84.5%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
25.3%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.3%(226)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)15.8%(147)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era32.7%(304)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War13.3%(124)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II4%(37)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 929 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in South Plainfield, New Jersey?

South Plainfield, New Jersey has about 24,338 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in South Plainfield, New Jersey?

The typical household in South Plainfield, New Jersey earns about $108,244 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is South Plainfield, New Jersey expensive?

In South Plainfield, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $352,200, and the typical rent is about $1,675 a month.

How educated are people in South Plainfield, New Jersey?

About 38.9% of adults age 25 and over in South Plainfield, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in South Plainfield, New Jersey?

About 3.1% of people in South Plainfield, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

Has South Plainfield, New Jersey grown since 1990?

Yes, South Plainfield, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,849 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →