© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Somerset.
Somerset 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.
About
Life in Somerset
Somerset is a community of 23,851 people in New Jersey. The median household income is $121,028, median rent runs about $2,120 per month, and median home values are around $438,800. Unemployment is low at 4.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Somerset at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Foreign-Born
29.1%
Broadband Internet
97.8%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.1% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Somerset: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Somerset, the largest foreign-born group is from India (34.6%), and 9.9% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
18.6%
of residents
65 and Older
17.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.2%
of households
Married Couples
47.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.35
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% above NJ average
Rent, home values, and income in Somerset
In Somerset, rent runs 23% above the NJ average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
112.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,224
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $571,085 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below NJ average
Unemployment in Somerset
Unemployment in Somerset County, which includes Somerset, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the NJ average.
Unemployment rate
Somerset: Somerset County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Somerset County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Somerset Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute35.3 min avg
How Somerset residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Somerset, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Major hub23.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 91% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County, which covers Somerset, runs 91% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
28.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
403.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County (township-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Somerset County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Somerset County, which includes Somerset, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Winter Weather | $45,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 26 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2022 | 16 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100.0M |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Winter Storm | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Somerset County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, NJ (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 6 miles from Somerset) is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
66
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Middlesex County, NJ (6 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Somerset has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
43°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
49.1"
Annual Snowfall
29.0"
Hot Days/Year
24
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
111
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 23°F | 3.74" |
| Feb | 43°F | 24°F | 2.97" |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 4.40" |
| Apr | 63°F | 41°F | 3.89" |
| May | 72°F | 51°F | 4.03" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.83" |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 4.83" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.66" |
| Sep | 78°F | 57°F | 4.18" |
| Oct | 67°F | 44°F | 4.11" |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.40" |
| Dec | 45°F | 28°F | 4.49" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Somerset
Uninsured
1.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Somerset's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Saint Peter's University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.5 mi away · New Brunswick
Children's Specialized Hospital
Childrens · 2 mi away · New Brunswick
University Behavioral Health Care
Psychiatric · ER available · 2.2 mi away · Piscataway
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education9.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Somerset
Somerset's student/teacher ratio is 9.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 62.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
62.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
9.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Somerset (within 15 miles)
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
2.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 37,751 students · in-state tuition $18,824 · 85% graduate · median earnings $80,490 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,709 students · in-state tuition $65,510 · 98% graduate · median earnings $133,523 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Morristown National Historical Park, 19 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Somerset
Somerset has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Morristown National Historical Park (19 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
19 mi awayThomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
24 mi awayNational Parks of New York Harbor
National Park Site
26 mi awayEllis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
27 mi awayLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
27 mi awayStatue Of Liberty National Monument
National Monument
27 mi awayGovernors Island National Monument
National Monument
28 mi awayAfrican Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
29 mi awayCities Near Somerset
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Somerset?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Somerset FAQ
Is Somerset, New Jersey affordable?⌄
Somerset's median rent is $2,121/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $121,028/year. Median home value is $438,800.
Is Somerset, New Jersey safe?⌄
Somerset is policed by the Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 28 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 403 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Somerset, New Jersey?⌄
Somerset County, which includes Somerset, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Somerset, New Jersey?⌄
The cost of living in Somerset is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,121/month and median household income is $121,028/year. The median home value is $438,800. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Somerset, New Jersey?⌄
The average commute in Somerset is 35 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from