Signals
South Plainfield
Somerset
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs76 · Top 12%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs86 · Top 41%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs92 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | South Plainfield | Somerset | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,473 | 22,720 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,239 | $121,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,315 | $60,499 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,950/sq mi | 3,590/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,900 | $438,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,107 | $2,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.9% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 62.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 45.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 37.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
South Plainfield
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, earthquake.
Somerset
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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South Plainfield
77
Your Score
73
Area Score
Somerset
76
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: South Plainfield, NJ · Somerset, NJ · How this is calculated: methodology