United States › New Jersey › Watchung CITY
Watchung New Jersey · 6,583 residents (2025 est.) · 6.02 sq mi
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The short version
Watchung is home to 6,485 people in New Jersey. This is an unusually credentialed place: 64% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $882,500, having more than doubled since 2000. The median age is 48.1, about 9 years above the US median. That is roughly 68% ahead of the New Jersey median. Households take in $173,672 a year at the median, 111% more than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
64% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,613 in 2000
6,583 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,078 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,038 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 43.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Watchung Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $173,672
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $101,944 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $58,653 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 57.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.458 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.6%
Transportation & warehousing 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$882,500
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $436,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$2,738
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $854 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.1% in 2000
15.9% rent
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.72 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 55.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 82.2%(4,615)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 69.9%(4,532)
Hispanic / Latino 8.8%(571)
from 56 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 57.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 93.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 31.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 64.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 90.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 92.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 65.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 7.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 29.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 14.4%(28)
Share of the 194 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
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Watchung, New Jersey? Watchung, New Jersey has about 6,485 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Watchung, New Jersey? The typical household in Watchung, New Jersey earns about $173,672 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Watchung, New Jersey expensive? In Watchung, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $882,500, and the typical rent is about $2,738 a month.
How educated are people in Watchung, New Jersey? About 64.0% of adults age 25 and over in Watchung, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Watchung, New Jersey? About 1.2% of people in Watchung, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.
Has Watchung, New Jersey grown since 1990? Yes, Watchung, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,375 residents, a change of about 27 percent over that period.
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