How long is the commute from Plainfield, NJ?

Name: Commute and cars in Plainfield, NJ, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Plainfield, NJ take an average of 29.5 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

58.0% of workers drive alone to work.

5.2% take public transportation.

1.7% of workers walk to work.

6.8% work from home.

12.7% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 29.5 minutes (±1.2)
Public transportation: 5.2%
Work from home: 6.8%
Households without a car: 12.7%

How people in Plainfield get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Plainfield	Union County	New Jersey	United States
Drove alone	58.0% (±2.5 points)	60.9%	62.2%	68.8%
Carpooled	6.8% (±1.5 points)	8.9%	7.7%	8.5%
Public transportation	5.2% (±1.2 points)	9.1%	8.1%	3.2%
Walked	1.7% (±0.6 points)	2.4%	2.6%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	21.6% (±2.4 points)	4.4%	2.6%	2.0%
Worked from home	6.8% (±1.1 points)	14.2%	16.8%	15.1%

In Plainfield, the average commute is not measurably different from Union County (30.2 minutes).

It is not measurably different from New Jersey (30.5 minutes).

It is higher than the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Plainfield, the share commuting by public transportation is lower than in Union County (9.1%).

It is also lower than in New Jersey (8.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (3.2%).

In Union County, Plainfield ranks 15 of 21 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 327 of 561.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Plainfield

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Plainfield	Union County	New Jersey	United States
No vehicle	12.7% (±1.9 points)	10.2%	11.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	38.2% (±3.8 points)	35.7%	35.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	30.4% (±2.9 points)	36.3%	35.5%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	18.6% (±2.5 points)	17.8%	18.3%	21.9%

In Plainfield, the share of households without a vehicle is higher than in Union County (10.2%).

It is not measurably different from New Jersey (11.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Plainfield

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Plainfield	Union County	New Jersey	United States
Workers working from home	6.8% (±1.1 points)	14.2% (±0.5 points)	16.8% (±0.1 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	97.5% (±0.8 points)	95.8% (±0.4 points)	95.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	95.0% (±1.5 points)	93.3% (±0.6 points)	92.8% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In Plainfield, the share of households with a broadband subscription is higher than in Union County (93.3%).

It is also higher than in New Jersey (92.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Plainfield

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Plainfield
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Plainfield	—	29.5 minutes (±1.2)	—
North Plainfield Borough	1.3 mi	31.4 minutes (±2.4)	Not measurably different
Watchung Borough	2.2 mi	33.6 minutes (±4.0)	Not measurably different
Fanwood Borough	2.4 mi	41.6 minutes (±9.2)	Higher
Scotch Plains Township	2.6 mi	33.7 minutes (±2.4)	Higher
South Plainfield Borough	2.8 mi	29.7 minutes (±1.4)	Not measurably different
Dunellen Borough	3.1 mi	31.7 minutes (±5.8)	Not measurably different
Green Brook Township	3.6 mi	30.4 minutes (±4.2)	Not measurably different
Berkeley Heights Township	4.2 mi	36.8 minutes (±3.4)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Fanwood Borough, NJ (41.6 minutes), Scotch Plains Township, NJ (33.7 minutes), Berkeley Heights Township, NJ (36.8 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Union County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
9	Rahway	31.9 minutes (±2.6)
10	New Providence Borough	31.8 minutes (±2.9)
11	Linden	31.5 minutes (±1.8)
12	Union Township (Union County)	30.4 minutes (±1.2)
13	Hillside Township	29.7 minutes (±2.1)
14	Garwood Borough	29.6 minutes (±4.3)
15	Plainfield	29.5 minutes (±1.2)
16	Clark Township	28.2 minutes (±1.8)
17	Springfield Township (Union County)	28.0 minutes (±2.8)
18	Elizabeth	26.7 minutes (±0.9)
19	Roselle Park Borough	25.8 minutes (±2.1)
20	Kenilworth Borough	24.7 minutes (±3.1)
21	Winfield Township	24.5 minutes (±2.6)

Showing 13 of 21 places in Union County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Plainfield

How long is the average commute in Plainfield?

Workers who live in Plainfield, NJ take an average of 29.5 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Plainfield without a car?

12.7% of households in Plainfield have no vehicle, and 5.2% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Plainfield?

6.8% (±1.1 points) of workers who live in Plainfield worked from home, and 95.0% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey (county subdivision:59190, in state:34 county:039).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.