HomeNew JerseyMiddlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey: commercial real estate data.
Middlesex County, New Jersey had an estimated 890,119 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 863,201, across 309 square miles. County output reached $86.70 bn in 2024, 22,314 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,143 7(a) approvals worth $571.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Middlesex County
How many people live in Middlesex County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024871,290
- Households307,782
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$111,549
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,871 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$462,900
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher45.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree19.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over601,905
- Population under 18187,080
- Share under 1821.5 percent
- Population 65 and over140,558
- Share 65 and over16.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64543,652
- Civilian labor force474,946
- Unemployment rate6.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.4 percent
- Rank by population among New Jersey counties2nd of 21
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included67th of 3,222
Middlesex County is the 2nd largest of 21 New Jersey counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.5 percent against 16.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Middlesex County
Is Middlesex County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024890,119
- Census 2020 base population863,201
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.12 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202414,000
- Births, 20248,466
- Deaths, 20246,030
- Natural change, 20242,436
- Net domestic migration, 2024-6,419
- Net international migration, 202417,922
- Total net migration, 202411,503
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-25,558
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents841st of 3,144
The county has grown 3.12 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Middlesex County
Where are people moving to Middlesex County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving22,237
- People arriving, from those returns38,525
- Tax returns filed by households leaving25,897
- Net household movement-3,660
- Adjusted gross income arriving$2.01 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-786.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$90,589
- Average income of a leaving household$108,161
- Largest single originUnion County (2,693 households)
- Largest single destinationSomerset County (2,713 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 2,693 | 4,802 | $206.9 m |
| Somerset County | 1,875 | 3,225 | $230.1 m |
| Hudson County | 1,733 | 3,413 | $192.2 m |
| Monmouth County | 1,634 | 2,590 | $147.8 m |
| Kings County | 1,179 | 2,263 | $100.7 m |
| Essex County | 1,176 | 2,099 | $76.7 m |
| Richmond County | 974 | 1,789 | $86.4 m |
| Mercer County | 913 | 1,563 | $103.2 m |
Households arriving report $17,572 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Union County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Middlesex County
What is the Middlesex County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$86.70 bn
- County GDP, 2023$83.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.3 percent
- GDP change over five years32.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the New Jersey areas BEA publishes2nd of 21
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes62nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$99,513
Output grew 4.3 percent in the latest year and 32.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Middlesex County
Employment by industry in Middlesex County
- Covered employment, annual average430,555
- Establishments reporting25,382
- Average annual pay$82,400
- Average weekly wage$1,585
- Health care and social assistance, employment57,785
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$65,692
- Transportation and warehousing, employment49,945
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$57,723
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment40,554
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$138,687
- Retail trade, employment37,013
- Retail trade, average annual pay$45,485
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment36,294
- Manufacturing, employment30,859
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 57,785 | 5,039 | $65,692 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 49,945 | 1,304 | $57,723 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 40,554 | 3,801 | $138,687 |
| Retail trade | 37,013 | 2,280 | $45,485 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 36,294 | 1,452 | $59,294 |
| Manufacturing | 30,859 | 823 | $98,523 |
| Wholesale trade | 29,544 | 1,504 | $91,117 |
| Accommodation and food services | 24,122 | 1,752 | $30,270 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 57,785 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Middlesex County
How many businesses are in Middlesex County?
- Establishments, all industries22,314
- Employment at those establishments434,143
- Annual payroll$33.67 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Middlesex County
Building permits in Middlesex County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,792
- Declared construction value permitted$338.3 m
- Single family units authorized677
- Multifamily units authorized1,115
- Multifamily share of units62.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$188,761
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.8
Multifamily is 62.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Middlesex County
SBA loans in Middlesex County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,143
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$571.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$500,155
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,449,280
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)13,223
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active106
- Distinct industries receiving approvals263
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms144
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter944
- Franchise loans140
- Franchise share of approvals12.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (60)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (249)
- 504 approvals recorded185
- 504 gross approval dollars$301.6 m
- Average 504 approval$1,630,503
- Median 504 approval$1,152,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval16.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.0
- Most active CDCTrenton Business Assistance Corporation (105)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$873.3 m
The average approval of $500,155 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 12.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Middlesex County
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded177
- Paid in full151
- Charged off26
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans14.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full151
- Status: Exempt from disclosure710
- Status: Cancelled186
- Status: Charged off26
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed70
Of the 177 loans that have reached a final outcome, 14.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
SBA lending by place in Middlesex County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending53
- Edison, approvals144
- East Brunswick, approvals106
- Piscataway, approvals72
- North Brunswick, approvals71
- Old Bridge, approvals60
- Perth Amboy, approvals52
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Edison | 144 | $79,454,300 |
| East Brunswick | 106 | $43,931,500 |
| Piscataway | 72 | $50,275,800 |
| North Brunswick | 71 | $54,941,900 |
| Old Bridge | 60 | $20,245,700 |
| Perth Amboy | 52 | $28,133,900 |
| New Brunswick | 49 | $25,498,600 |
| South Plainfield | 49 | $23,989,500 |
| 45 other borrower cities | 540 | $245,205,400 |
Edison accounts for 144 approvals against 106 in East Brunswick. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
How large is Middlesex County?
- Land area309 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New Jersey counties12th of 21
- Width, east to west21.7 mi
- Height, north to south24.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land2,820
- Establishments per square mile72.21
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Middlesex County
Flood risk in Middlesex County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book25
- Of those, participating in the NFIP25
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Middlesex County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The EPA places Middlesex County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Middlesex County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Middlesex County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024871,290
- Households307,782
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$111,549
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Middlesex County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Middlesex County, New Jersey?
The Census Bureau estimates 890,119 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 871,290, in 307,782 households, ranking 2nd of 21 New Jersey counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Middlesex County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.12 percent since the 2020 census base of 863,201, to 890,119 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 8,466 births against 6,030 deaths, with net migration of 11,503. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Middlesex County?
$111,549. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $462,900, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,871 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Middlesex County?
22,314 establishments, employing 434,143 people with an annual payroll of $33.67 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Middlesex County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 57,785 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 430,555 jobs at an average annual pay of $82,400, or $1,585 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Middlesex County?
1,143 7(a) approvals totaling $571.7 m since FY2020, across 106 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 185 504 approvals worth $301.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back?
Of the 177 loans that have reached a final outcome, 151 were paid in full and 26 charged off, a charge-off rate of 14.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Middlesex County?
1,792 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $338.3 m. Multifamily was 62.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Middlesex County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Middlesex County come from?
The largest single origin is Union County, with 2,693 households. Arriving households report an average income of $90,589 against $108,161 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Middlesex County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Middlesex County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Middlesex County
Cities and places in Middlesex.
51 Census places lie wholly or partly in Middlesex County. All 51 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick | city | 56,345 | 49 | Wholly in this county |
| Perth Amboy | city | 55,855 | 52 | Wholly in this county |
| Sayreville | borough | 45,838 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Bridge | CDP | 28,236 | 60 | Wholly in this county |
| Carteret | borough | 25,496 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| South Plainfield | borough | 24,473 | 49 | Wholly in this county |
| Woodbridge | CDP | 20,756 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
| Iselin | CDP | 19,551 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| Colonia | CDP | 18,587 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Avenel | CDP | 17,121 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| South River | borough | 16,124 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| Princeton Meadows | CDP | 15,561 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Metuchen | borough | 15,144 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Highland Park | borough | 15,121 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Middlesex | borough | 14,645 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Fords | CDP | 12,771 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Kendall Park | CDP | 10,011 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| South Amboy | city | 9,989 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Monmouth Junction | CDP | 9,141 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Madison Park | CDP | 9,124 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spotswood | borough | 8,171 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Dayton | CDP | 7,952 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunellen | borough | 7,911 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Heathcote | CDP | 7,717 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Milltown | borough | 7,059 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Laurence Harbor | CDP | 6,191 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rutgers University-Busch Campus | CDP | 5,920 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jamesburg | borough | 5,770 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Port Reading | CDP | 3,511 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hopelawn | CDP | 3,496 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rossmoor | CDP | 3,350 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rutgers University-Livingston Campus | CDP | 3,258 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sewaren | CDP | 3,248 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Menlo Park Terrace | CDP | 3,062 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Plainsboro Center | CDP | 2,773 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Concordia | CDP | 2,611 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Whittingham | CDP | 2,480 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Helmetta | borough | 2,459 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Brownville | CDP | 2,377 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clearbrook | CDP | 2,375 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Monroe Manor | CDP | 2,286 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Keasbey | CDP | 2,252 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cranbury | CDP | 2,185 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Forsgate | CDP | 2,102 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Regency at Monroe | CDP | 1,991 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stonebridge | CDP | 1,966 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kingston | CDP | 1,670 | None recorded | 26.6 percent here, 73.4 percent Somerset County |
| Deans | CDP | 1,154 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| The Ponds | CDP | 1,097 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Encore at Monroe | CDP | 872 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Renaissance at Monroe | CDP | 581 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 536 of the county's 1,143 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Middlesex County, the largest being Edison (144), East Brunswick (106), Piscataway (72). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
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