The Town FilesCarteret, New Jersey
Borough in Middlesex County · population 25,326 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $405,800
- Household income
- $96,862
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 38.2
Carteret is a borough of 25,326 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $405,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 86% of New Jersey towns, more vibrant than 81% of New Jersey towns.
How Carteret 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 Carteret is worth $405,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $96,862, which is more affordable than 36% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,032 a month. 54.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carteret | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $405,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,032 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $96,862 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 54.7% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carteret
| People | Carteret | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.1% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 33.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 94.6% |
Weather in Carteret
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.5 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carteret since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 8, 2007 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex 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 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 430,555 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,400 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Carteret itself the ACS puts it at 10.1%.
Public schools in Carteret
29 public schools with 18,812 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS 72 ROCCO LAURIE | 6-8 | 1,458 | 12.0 |
| IS 24 MYRA S BARNES | 6-8 | 1,289 | 12.8 |
| Carteret High School | 9-12 | 1,182 | 13.6 |
| PS 42 ELTINGVILLE | PK-5 | 1,002 | 15.9 |
| JOHN W LAVELLE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | K-12 | 905 | 8.3 |
| PS 36 J C DRUMGOOLE | PK-5 | 864 | 14.6 |
| PS 4 MAURICE WOLLIN | PK-5 | 828 | 10.8 |
| BARBARA ESSELBORN SCHOOL (THE) | PK-5 | 803 | 17.1 |
| PS 69 DANIEL D TOMPKINS | PK-5 | 729 | 9.0 |
| SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA SCHOOL | PK-5 | 715 | 13.5 |
| PS 32 GIFFORD SCHOOL (THE) | PK-5 | 656 | 18.2 |
| PS 60 ALICE AUSTEN | PK-5 | 631 | 13.1 |
Towns near Carteret
- Port Reading, NJ1.5 mi · 3,921 people · home $435,600
- Avenel, NJ2.3 mi · 16,920 people · home $401,000
- Sewaren, NJ2.8 mi · 2,885 people · home $429,200
- Linden, NJ3.0 mi · 43,738 people · home $419,700
- Rahway, NJ3.2 mi · 29,556 people · home $386,400
- Woodbridge, NJ3.7 mi · 103,639 people · home $433,000
- Woodbridge, NJ3.8 mi · 19,839 people · home $390,000
- Colonia, NJ4.4 mi · 18,609 people · home $493,100
Carteret questions
Is Carteret, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carteret scores better for retirees than 6% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 4%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Carteret?
The median owner-occupied home in Carteret is valued at $405,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,862, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $2,032 a month.
What is the weather like in Carteret?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.6 inches of precipitation a year and 31.5 inches of snow.
Does Carteret get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carteret since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 8, 2007. 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)