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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Somerset County

New Jersey · 297,490 residents · 302 sq mi
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The short version

Somerset County is a county of 297,490 people in New Jersey. This is an unusually credentialed place: 47% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $222,400. Median household income runs $76,933, well clear of the $42,589 US median. Households here earn about 40% more than in New Jersey as a whole. 77% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 37.2
US median: 35.2
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
297,490
+24%since 1990
from 240,279 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
37.2
+7%since 1990
from 34.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
302 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
229K262K295K328K361K19902000201020202024Somerset County
2024350K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.5%(22,207)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.7%(22,783)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(20,554)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 195.2%(15,415)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 244.2%(12,547)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.2%(42,367)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4419.6%(58,297)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.7%(43,861)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.8%(26,078)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746%(17,770)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.9%(11,482)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.4%(4,129)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$76,933
+5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $55,519 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,970
+51%since 1990
from $25,111 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
3.8%
+1.2 ptssince 1990
from 2.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$222,400
−13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $194,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$898
−5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $719 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
77.2%
+1.7 ptssince 1990
from 75.5% in 1990
22.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic88%(211,450)
Black6.1%(14,641)
Hispanic / Latino4.2%(10,188)
Asian4.4%(10,553)
2000
White, non-Hispanic74.1%(220,584)
Black7.3%(21,571)
Hispanic / Latino8.7%(25,811)
Asian8.4%(24,870)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
South American4.5%(15,900)
Central American3.9%(13,816)
Puerto Rican2.9%(10,048)
Mexican2.1%(7,506)
Dominican2.1%(7,466)
Colombian1.6%(5,458)
Guatemalan1.3%(4,416)
Ecuadorian1.2%(4,161)
Salvadoran1.1%(4,005)
Costa Rican1.1%(3,722)
Peruvian0.8%(2,659)
Cuban0.7%(2,333)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Paraguayan0.5%(1,670)
Spaniard0.4%(1,398)
Honduran0.4%(1,302)
Argentine0.2%(737)
Uruguayan0.1%(392)
Chilean0.1%(377)
Venezuelan0.1%(359)
Panamanian0.1%(263)
Nicaraguan0%(108)
Bolivian0%(72)
Asian origin
Asian Indian11.1%(38,835)
Chinese4.3%(14,963)
Filipino1.6%(5,471)
Pakistani0.7%(2,578)
Korean0.6%(2,196)
Taiwanese0.3%(1,005)
Vietnamese0.2%(848)
Sri Lankan0.2%(573)
Japanese0.1%(522)
Thai0%(127)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(24)
Malaysian0%(12)
Uzbek0%(8)
Burmese0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(22)
Ancestry
Italian12.9%(45,002)
Irish10.8%(37,666)
German8.9%(31,007)
Polish6.1%(21,245)
English5.3%(18,502)
American3.3%(11,385)
West Indian1.8%(6,212)
Russian1.6%(5,674)
Hungarian1.3%(4,541)
Scottish1.1%(3,927)
French1.1%(3,727)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian1%(3,607)
Portuguese1%(3,600)
Arab0.9%(3,223)
Jamaican0.9%(3,028)
Dutch0.8%(2,752)
Swedish0.7%(2,443)
Norwegian0.6%(2,011)
Slovak0.6%(1,988)
Greek0.5%(1,901)
Haitian0.4%(1,529)
British0.4%(1,424)
Egyptian0.4%(1,388)
Czech0.4%(1,306)
Austrian0.3%(1,090)
Lithuanian0.3%(1,026)
Welsh0.3%(1,008)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(915)
Ghanaian0.2%(855)
Swiss0.2%(802)
Guyanese0.2%(787)
Brazilian0.2%(756)
Nigerian0.2%(717)
Iranian0.2%(708)
Turkish0.2%(594)
Palestinian0.2%(573)
Danish0.2%(530)
Lebanese0.1%(510)
Romanian0.1%(499)
Canadian0.1%(398)
Syrian0.1%(323)
Armenian0.1%(301)
Croatian0.1%(269)
Belgian0.1%(245)
Latvian0.1%(204)
Finnish0.1%(197)
Israeli0.1%(194)
Slovene0%(171)
Iraqi0%(113)
Barbadian0%(106)
Moroccan0%(83)
Serbian0%(80)
Kenyan0%(77)
Jordanian0%(36)
Ethiopian0%(29)
Bulgarian0%(25)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
46.5%
+8.2 ptssince 1990
from 38.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
89.6%
+3.2 ptssince 1990
from 86.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
19.1%
+4.1 ptssince 1990
from 15.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.4 min
−12%since 1990
from 24.3 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.6%(29,671)
Married65.4%(72,922)
Widowed2.2%(2,451)
Divorced5.8%(6,493)
Women 15+
Never married21.4%(25,787)
Married60.8%(73,138)
Widowed9.4%(11,265)
Divorced8.4%(10,070)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.4%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 9.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 72.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
9.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 8.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
81.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 82.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
24.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 23.0% 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)22.4%(1,990)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.5%(1,375)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.3%(3,044)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.8%(693)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.8%(249)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,875 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

Places similar to Somerset County

Howard County
Pop 339,183
Douglas County
Pop 399,396
Forsyth County
Pop 282,805
Hamilton County
Pop 387,036
Places similar to Somerset County
Head to head

Compare Somerset County to nearby counties

SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Middlesex County
Income$111,549+45%
Home value$462,900+108%
Population883,335+148%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Hunterdon County
Income$141,715+84%
Home value$517,200+133%
Population131,781−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Union County
Income$103,202+34%
Home value$529,200+138%
Population601,863+69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOMERSET COUNTY VS
Mercer County
Income$100,645+31%
Home value$377,700+70%
Population399,289+12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Somerset County, New Jersey?

Somerset County, New Jersey has about 297,490 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Somerset County, New Jersey?

The typical household in Somerset County, New Jersey earns about $76,933 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Somerset County, New Jersey expensive?

In Somerset County, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $222,400, and the typical rent is about $898 a month.

How educated are people in Somerset County, New Jersey?

About 46.5% of adults age 25 and over in Somerset County, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Somerset County, New Jersey?

About 3.8% of people in Somerset County, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.

Has Somerset County, New Jersey grown since 1990?

Yes, Somerset County, New Jersey has grown since 1990. The population has added about 57,211 residents, a change of about 24 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 →