Middlesex County vs Ocean County
A side-by-side comparison of Middlesex County and Ocean County: population, income, housing, and more.
Middlesex County and Ocean County are counties in New Jersey. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Middlesex County has the higher population (861,535 vs 646,434 in Ocean County). Middlesex County has the higher median household income ($109,028 vs $86,411 in Ocean County). Middlesex County has the higher median home value ($439,300 vs $366,600 in Ocean County).
Population, income & housing
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 861,535 | 646,434 |
| Median age | 39.4 yrs | 41.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $109,028 | $86,411 |
| Median home value | $439,300 | $366,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,810 | $1,702 |
| Housing units | 316,633 | 295,201 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.5% | 80.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 33.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 5.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 825,920 → 861,535 (+4.3%) | 596,415 → 646,434 (+8.4%) |
| Median household income | $89,533 → $109,028 (+21.8%) | $70,909 → $86,411 (+21.9%) |
| Median home value | $344,100 → $439,300 (+27.7%) | $279,000 → $366,600 (+31.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,469 → $1,810 (+23.2%) | $1,428 → $1,702 (+19.2%) |
Middlesex County
825,920861,535
$89,533$109,028
$344,100$439,300
$1,469$1,810
Ocean County
596,415646,434
$70,909$86,411
$279,000$366,600
$1,428$1,702
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 7.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.2% | 17.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.4% | 7.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 11.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 10.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.4% | 10.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 13.5% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 75 and over | 6.4% | 10.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 38.8% | 81.8% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% | 2.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 25.0% | 1.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.0% | 10.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.7% | 6.7% |
| High school graduate | 23.4% | 33.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 20.8% | 26.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.1% | 21.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 19.0% | 12.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 63.1% | 76.5% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 8.0% |
| Public transit | 6.3% | 1.2% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Worked from home | 16.1% | 11.6% |
| Other means | 3.1% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 52.6% | 74.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 11.1% | 9.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 11.6% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 14.2% | 4.2% |
| 20 or more units | 9.5% | 3.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.9% | 2.1% |
Poverty & households
| Middlesex County | Ocean County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 10.4% |
| Average household size | 2.74 | 2.65 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 32 | 31 |
| Median year structure built | 1973 | 1981 |
Full profiles
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