The Town FilesBridgewater, New Jersey
Township in Somerset County · population 45,977 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $605,500
- Household income
- $172,851
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 41.9
Bridgewater is a township of 45,977 people in Somerset County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $605,500, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more upscale than 82% of New Jersey towns.
How Bridgewater ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bridgewater is worth $605,500, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $172,851, which is more affordable than 62% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,176 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bridgewater | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $605,500 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,176 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $172,851 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 84.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bridgewater
| People | Bridgewater | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.7% | — |
| Work from home | 26.4% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in Bridgewater
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bridgewater since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 26, 2023 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 17, 2007.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| June 8, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4368: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 190,468 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $106,418 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Bridgewater itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Bridgewater
13 public schools with 7,452 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater-Raritan High School | 9-12 | 2,745 | 12.9 |
| Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School | 7-8 | 1,261 | 11.3 |
| Eisenhower Intermediate School | 5-6 | 610 | 10.2 |
| Hillside Intermediate School | 5-6 | 570 | 10.2 |
| Adamsville Primary School | PK-4 | 490 | 8.8 |
| Crim Primary School | PK-4 | 381 | 9.8 |
| Milltown Primary School | PK-4 | 355 | 11.8 |
| Somerset County Vocational Technical High School | 9-12 | 353 | 6.2 |
| Van Holten Primary School | K-4 | 300 | 11.1 |
| Bradley Gardens Primary School | PK-4 | 271 | 10.0 |
| Somerset Secondary Academy | 9-12 | 67 | 6.1 |
| Somerset Elementary Academy | K-8 | 41 | 6.8 |
Towns near Bridgewater
- Green Knoll, NJ1.0 mi · 6,594 people · home $597,100
- Somerville, NJ1.6 mi · 12,346 people · home $435,700
- Martinsville, NJ1.7 mi · 12,147 people · home $720,400
- Bridgewater Center, NJ2.3 mi · 6,082 people · home $703,700
- Raritan, NJ2.6 mi · 7,835 people · home $456,900
- Finderne, NJ2.7 mi · 6,392 people · home $413,400
- Bradley Gardens, NJ3.4 mi · 14,077 people · home $546,300
- Manville, NJ3.6 mi · 10,953 people · home $354,300
Bridgewater questions
Is Bridgewater, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bridgewater scores better for retirees than 68% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 54%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Bridgewater?
The median owner-occupied home in Bridgewater is valued at $605,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $172,851, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $2,176 a month.
What is the weather like in Bridgewater?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.0 inches of snow.
Does Bridgewater get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bridgewater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 26, 2023. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)