Plainfield city, New Jersey
Plainfield city profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
Plainfield city is a geographic entity located in Union County, New Jersey. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 57,141. The land area covers 5.96 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2025 PEP Estimate) | 57,141 | — | 2025 / Census |
| Median Age | 32.4 yrs | ±0.9 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 15,907 | ±615 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 16,712 | ±610 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 15,907 | ±615 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 805 | ±211 |
| Median Home Value | $410,800 | ±$14,895 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,767 | ±$49 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $85,908 | ±$3,620 |
| Per Capita Income | $30,960 | ±$1,578 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.5% | ±2.4% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 8,419 | ±1,317 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.9% | ±1.7% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 27,458 | ±911 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 95% | ±1.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GUS Population: 56,507 (2024)
ID: 130872
|
Municipal | Official Local Government |
Contact: MAYOR
515 WATCHUNG AVE, PLAINFIELD NJ 07060-1798
|
|
GUS Population: 594,160 (2024)
ID: 194928
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: CLERK OF THE BOARD
10 ELIZABETHTOWN PLZ, ELIZABETH NJ 07207-3451
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Plainfield | KG-12 | Plainfield, NJ | |
| Regular School Plainfield | KG-08 | Plainfield, NJ | |
| Regular School Plainfield | 06-12 | Plainfield, NJ | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-05 | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | |
| Alternative School Nearby | N | AVENEL, NJ | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | NEWARK, NJ | |
| Regular School Nearby | 09-12 | ROSELLE, NJ | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-08 | ELIZABETH, NJ | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-01 | HILLSIDE, NJ | |
| Career and Technical School Nearby | 09-12 | SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools
|
College | 0.9 mi away | 1200 Randolph Rd, Plainfield, NJ, 07060 |
9086682400
|
|
PLAINFIELD FREE PUB. LIB.
|
Library | 0.1 mi away | 800 PARK AVENUE, PLAINFIELD, NJ, 07060 |
(201) 757-1111
|
|
Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-North Plainfield
|
College Vocational | 0.8 mi away | 121 Watchung Ave, North Plainfield, NJ, 07060 |
732442600710
|
|
NORTH PLAINFIELD BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 1.0 mi away | 6 ROCKVIEW AVENUE, NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 07060 |
(201) 755-7909
|
|
Yeshiva Gedolah Tiferes Boruch
|
College | 1.0 mi away | 21 Rockview Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ, 07060-0000 |
9087532600
|
|
SO. PLAINFIELD FREE PUB. LIB.
|
Library | 2.2 mi away | 2484 PLAINFIELD AVENUE, SO. PLAINFIELD, NJ, 07080 |
(201) 754-7885
|
|
Union County Vocational Technical School
|
College Vocational | 3.0 mi away | 1776 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains, NJ, 07076 |
9088898288
|
|
WATCHUNG BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 2.4 mi away | 12 STIRLING ROAD, WATCHUNG, NJ, 07060 |
(201) 561-0117
|
|
American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education
|
College | 3.9 mi away | 4500 New Brunswick Ave, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 |
9082220002
|
|
FANWOOD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
|
Library | 2.5 mi away | 5 FOREST RD, FANWOOD, NJ, 07023 |
(201) 322-6400
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at PLAINFIELD, NJ US, located 1.1 miles from Plainfield city. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40.7° | 23.8° | 32.2° | 3.79" | 5.1" |
| February | 44.2° | 25.7° | 34.9° | 3.14" | 8.3" |
| March | 52.9° | 32.1° | 42.5° | 4.27" | 5.3" |
| April | 65.7° | 41.7° | 53.7° | 3.60" | 0.1" |
| May | 74.9° | 51.3° | 63.1° | 4.01" | 0.0" |
| June | 83.7° | 60.3° | 72.0° | 4.33" | 0.0" |
| July | 88.1° | 66.0° | 77.1° | 5.34" | 0.0" |
| August | 86.0° | 64.0° | 75.0° | 3.99" | 0.0" |
| September | 79.4° | 57.5° | 68.4° | 4.27" | 0.0" |
| October | 66.3° | 45.7° | 56.0° | 4.31" | 0.0" |
| November | 55.7° | 35.9° | 45.8° | 3.48" | 0.2" |
| December | 45.7° | 29.4° | 37.5° | 4.19" | 2.4" |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield city | City | 0.0 mi | — |
| North Plainfield borough | Borough | 1.3 mi | — |
| Watchung borough | Borough | 2.2 mi | — |
| Fanwood borough | Borough | 2.4 mi | — |
| South Plainfield borough | Borough | 2.8 mi | — |
| Dunellen borough | Borough | 3.1 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 3403959190. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.