Moving to
Middlesex.

All Middlesex data Compare Middlesex

14,645people live here $105,000median household income▲ 30% above US $1,416median rent per monthNear US average $446,400median home value▲ 34% above US

What it's like to live in Middlesex

Middlesex is a small city in New Jersey with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, 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. Middlesex deals with home prices well above the national average, cold winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

Higher-than-average incomes
Low crime rates
Clean air
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

High home prices
Cold winters
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Middlesex compares

Median household income

Middlesex$105,000

New Jersey avg$103,556

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Middlesex$1,416

New Jersey avg$1,720

US$1,413

Median home value

Middlesex$446,400

New Jersey avg$454,400

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Middlesex

Based on Middlesex's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,832

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,640 a year
41% of Middlesex renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$89,280

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $44,640
Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,416/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,416 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $446,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $446,400 · 41% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

5.2% county unemployment

Unemployment in Middlesex County is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Middlesex County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 84% below US

54 violent crimes per 100k

Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.

Property crime 543/100k · Middlesex Police Department · 2025 data

Getting aroundNear US average

26 min average commute

Commutes run about average, at 26.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

78%

Work from home

9.4%

Carpool

6.8%

Other

3.9%

Public transit

1.8%

Walk

0.3%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforceNear US average

37% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 37% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

6 public schools inside the boundary

There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 (13 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Middlesex's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,416/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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