The Town FilesScotch Plains, New Jersey
Township in Union County · population 24,968 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $718,200
- Household income
- $183,655
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 42.3
Scotch Plains is a township of 24,968 people in Union County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $718,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more upscale than 92% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 73% of New Jersey towns, better for young professionals than 72% of New Jersey towns.
How Scotch Plains 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 Scotch Plains is worth $718,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $183,655, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,060 a month. 79.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Scotch Plains | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $718,200 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,060 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $183,655 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.0% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Scotch Plains
| People | Scotch Plains | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.4% | — |
| Work from home | 25.5% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.6% | 94.6% |
Weather in Scotch Plains
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scotch Plains since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 31, 2019 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 31, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union 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 Union County
Union County had 229,010 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,322 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Scotch Plains itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Scotch Plains
16 public schools with 7,415 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School | 9-12 | 1,551 | 13.5 |
| Malcolm E Nettingham Middle School | 5-8 | 933 | 11.5 |
| Terrill Middle School | 5-8 | 834 | 11.6 |
| William J. McGinn Elementary School | K-4 | 549 | 14.1 |
| J. Ackerman Coles Elementary School | PK-4 | 548 | 14.1 |
| Union County Tech | 9-12 | 507 | 22.0 |
| Evergreen Elementary School | PK-4 | 425 | 12.1 |
| Howard B. Brunner Elementary School | PK-4 | 415 | 12.6 |
| School One Elementary | PK-4 | 412 | 12.5 |
| Union County Magnet High School | 9-12 | 311 | 22.2 |
| Academy For Allied Health Sciences | 9-12 | 304 | 20.3 |
| Academy For Information Technology | 9-12 | 303 | 20.2 |
Towns near Scotch Plains
- Fanwood, NJ0.9 mi · 7,774 people · home $635,200
- Westfield, NJ2.0 mi · 31,032 people · home $953,400
- Plainfield, NJ2.6 mi · 54,586 people · home $410,800
- Garwood, NJ2.9 mi · 4,454 people · home $533,300
- Clark, NJ3.1 mi · 15,544 people · home $609,600
- Mountainside, NJ3.4 mi · 7,020 people · home $810,300
- Watchung, NJ3.4 mi · 6,449 people · home $882,500
- North Plainfield, NJ3.6 mi · 22,808 people · home $374,700
Scotch Plains questions
Is Scotch Plains, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Scotch Plains scores better for retirees than 62% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 32%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Scotch Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Scotch Plains is valued at $718,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $183,655, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $2,060 a month.
What is the weather like in Scotch Plains?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Scotch Plains get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scotch Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 31, 2019. 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)