The Town FilesSomerset, New Jersey
Community in Somerset County · population 22,968 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $438,800
- Household income
- $121,028
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 41.3
Somerset is a community of 22,968 people in Somerset County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $438,800, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 88% of New Jersey towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of New Jersey towns, hipper than 71% of New Jersey towns.
How Somerset 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 Somerset is worth $438,800, close to the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $121,028, which is more affordable than 58% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,121 a month. 72.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Somerset | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $438,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,121 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $121,028 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Somerset
| People | Somerset | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.0% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.1% | — |
| Work from home | 20.4% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 35.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 94.6% |
Weather in Somerset
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Somerset since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 18, 1990 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 27, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
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 Somerset itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Somerset
10 public schools with 7,691 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin High School | 9-12 | 2,200 | 12.6 |
| Central Jersey College Prep Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,357 | 16.3 |
| Franklin Middle School at Sampson G. Smith Campus | 6-8 | 714 | 9.8 |
| Franklin Middle School at Hamilton Street Campus | 6-8 | 667 | 8.3 |
| Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 608 | 16.9 |
| Elizabeth Avenue School | PK-5 | 561 | 10.2 |
| Hillcrest School | PK-5 | 452 | 10.3 |
| MacAfee Road School | PK-5 | 420 | 11.4 |
| Pine Grove Manor School | PK-5 | 379 | 9.5 |
| Conerly Road School | PK-5 | 333 | 10.1 |
Towns near Somerset
- East Franklin, NJ1.9 mi · 9,788 people · home $385,900
- Rutgers University-Busch Campus, NJ1.9 mi · 4,586 people · home —
- Franklin Center, NJ2.7 mi · 6,803 people · home $612,000
- Rutgers University-Livingston Campus, NJ3.0 mi · 3,545 people · home —
- Six Mile Run, NJ3.2 mi · 3,383 people · home $480,700
- Piscataway, NJ3.3 mi · 60,804 people · home $449,900
- New Brunswick, NJ3.3 mi · 55,266 people · home $353,800
- Franklin, NJ3.4 mi · 68,364 people · home $457,900
Somerset questions
Is Somerset, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Somerset scores better for retirees than 41% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 26%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Somerset?
The median owner-occupied home in Somerset is valued at $438,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,028, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $2,121 a month.
What is the weather like in Somerset?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 29.0 inches of snow.
Does Somerset get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Somerset since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 18, 1990. 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)