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Moving to
Blackwells Mills.
The Census tops out at $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Blackwells Mills is an unincorporated community in Somerset County, NJ. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Blackwells Mills
Blackwells Mills is an unincorporated community in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Blackwells Mills deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Cold winters
How Blackwells Mills compares
Median household income
The Census tops out at $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Blackwells Mills
Based on Blackwells Mills's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$6,412
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $128,240 a year
- 49% of Blackwells Mills renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$147,000
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $73,500
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 127% above US
$3,206/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $3,206 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $735,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $735,000 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Somerset County is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Somerset County (county-wide)
Safety
28 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Blackwells Mills doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 403/100k · Policed by Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County (township-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 30% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.9 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 30% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 112% above US
76% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Morristown National Historical Park (20 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Blackwells Mills's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. It tends to suit remote workers (30% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
See all the data for Blackwells Mills →·All New Jersey cities →
Other places near Blackwells Mills
All New Jersey guides →Moving to Franklin Park →
3 mi away · pop. 13,211
Rent $2,157/mo · Income $114,946
Compare with Blackwells Mills →Moving to Somerset →
5 mi away · pop. 22,720
Rent $2,121/mo · Income $121,028
Compare with Blackwells Mills →Moving to Manville →
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