Plainfield

Population: 54,515
Median household income: $80,334
Median home value: $383,300

Located in Union County, New Jersey, Plainfield is a community with a population of 54,515. Its median household income of $80,334 runs below the Union County figure of $100,117.

From 2019 to 2023, Plainfield's population grew 8.2% from 50,362 to 54,515, while its median home value rose 49.0% from $257,200 to $383,300.

17.1% of residents live below the poverty line. Households average 3.29 people.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 54,515
Median age: 33.0 yrs
Median household income: $80,334
Median home value: $383,300
Median gross rent: $1,673
Housing units: 17,149
Homeownership rate: 42.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.8%
Unemployment rate: 9.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

50,36254,515

Median household income

$56,339$80,334

Median home value

$257,200$383,300

Median gross rent

$1,212$1,673

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	50,362	$56,339	$257,200	$1,212
2020	50,252	$58,400	$268,000	$1,260
2021	54,183	$63,750	$287,300	$1,355
2022	54,358	$70,712	$351,500	$1,559
2023	54,515	$80,334	$383,300	$1,673

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.8%

5 to 1721.0%

18 to 248.8%

25 to 3415.6%

35 to 4414.0%

45 to 5411.4%

55 to 6411.2%

65 to 746.4%

75 and over3.9%

	Count	Share
Under 5	4,225	7.8%
5 to 17	11,462	21.0%
18 to 24	4,771	8.8%
25 to 34	8,528	15.6%
35 to 44	7,648	14.0%
45 to 54	6,204	11.4%
55 to 64	6,084	11.2%
65 to 74	3,486	6.4%
75 and over	2,107	3.9%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	4,204	7.7%
Black or African American	17,766	32.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	425	0.8%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	914	1.7%
Two or more races	892	1.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	30,314	55.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma27.8%

High school graduate29.4%

Some college or associate's20.0%

Bachelor's degree14.7%

Graduate or professional degree8.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	9,463	27.8%
High school graduate	10,014	29.4%
Some college or associate's	6,823	20.0%
Bachelor's degree	5,001	14.7%
Graduate or professional degree	2,756	8.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 30 min

Drove alone60.7%

Carpooled5.8%

Public transit4.5%

Walked1.7%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home6.5%

Other means20.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	15,946	60.7%
Carpooled	1,536	5.8%
Public transit	1,175	4.5%
Walked	457	1.7%
Bicycle	44	0.2%
Worked from home	1,705	6.5%
Other means	5,405	20.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,409	17.9%
15 to 29 min	8,664	35.3%
30 to 44 min	6,583	26.8%
45 to 59 min	2,032	8.3%
60+ min	2,875	11.7%

Households

Average household size: 3.29
Poverty rate: 17.1% (9,196 of 53,637)

	Count	Share
Family households	11,933	73.4%
Nonfamily households	4,319	26.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1950

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	16,252	94.8%
Vacant	897	5.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	6,891	42.4%
Renter-occupied	9,361	57.6%

1-unit, detached41.8%

1-unit, attached4.1%

2 to 4 units29.8%

5 to 19 units7.8%

20 or more units16.1%

Mobile home & other0.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	7,163	41.8%
1-unit, attached	711	4.1%
2 to 4 units	5,112	29.8%
5 to 19 units	1,345	7.8%
20 or more units	2,764	16.1%
Mobile home & other	54	0.3%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3459190
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 5.96 sq mi
Water area: 0.01 sq mi
Center point: 40.6154, -74.4158