What percentage of people rent in Plainfield, NJ?
55.2% (±2.5 points) of the occupied homes in Plainfield, NJ are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
That is 8,782 renting households against 7,125 that own their home.
In Plainfield, the share of households that rent went from 55.8% in 2015–2019 to 55.2% in 2020–2024 (−0.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.
Figures last updated on .
- Households that rent
- 55.2% (±2.5 points)
- Renting households
- 8,782 (±593)
- Median renter income
- $60,574 (±$4,077)
Who rents and who owns in Plainfield
| Plainfield | Union County | New Jersey | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renter-occupied share | 55.2% (±2.5 points) | 42.6% (±0.8 points) | 36.2% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Renting households | 8,782 (±593) | 86,672 (±1,707) | 1,268,573 (±8,082) | 45,017,354 |
| Owning households | 7,125 (±420) | 116,605 (±1,743) | 2,239,128 (±10,678) | 84,210,142 |
| Average renter household size | 3.7 (±0.2) | 2.6 (±0.0) | 2.4 (±0.0) | 2.3 |
| Average owner household size | 3.1 (±0.1) | 3.0 (±0.0) | 2.8 (±0.0) | 2.6 |
| Median renter household income | $60,574 (±$4,077) | $64,756 (±$2,190) | $62,674 (±$718) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $127,679 (±$9,003) | $148,703 (±$3,139) | $133,477 (±$624) | $100,009 |
In Plainfield, the renter share is higher than in Union County (42.6%).
It is also higher than in New Jersey (36.2%).
It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).
In Union County, Plainfield ranks 3 of 21 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.
Statewide, it ranks 57 of 564.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How renting in Plainfield has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 55.8% (±2.2 points) | 55.2% (±2.5 points) | −0.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 (±$45) | $1,767 (±$49) | +45.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $56,339 (±$3,730) | $85,908 (±$3,620) | +52.5% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Households that rent in places near Plainfield
| Place | Distance | Households that rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield | — | 55.2% (±2.5 points) | — |
| North Plainfield Borough | 1.3 mi | 46.7% (±4.8 points) | Lower |
| Watchung Borough | 2.2 mi | 15.9% (±6.7 points) | Lower |
| Fanwood Borough | 2.4 mi | 15.1% (±4.2 points) | Lower |
| Scotch Plains Township | 2.6 mi | 21.0% (±3.2 points) | Lower |
| South Plainfield Borough | 2.8 mi | 14.1% (±2.3 points) | Lower |
| Dunellen Borough | 3.1 mi | 38.6% (±9.2 points) | Lower |
| Green Brook Township | 3.6 mi | 6.8% (±4.8 points) | Lower |
| Berkeley Heights Township | 4.2 mi | 6.7% (±2.9 points) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: North Plainfield Borough, NJ (46.7%), Watchung Borough, NJ (15.9%), Fanwood Borough, NJ (15.1%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Households that rent across Union County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winfield Township | 78.1% (±6.3 points) |
| 2 | Elizabeth | 74.4% (±1.7 points) |
| 3 | Plainfield | 55.2% (±2.5 points) |
| 4 | Rahway | 48.5% (±3.3 points) |
| 5 | Garwood Borough | 45.6% (±8.3 points) |
| 6 | Roselle Borough | 45.3% (±3.7 points) |
| 7 | Roselle Park Borough | 40.9% (±5.1 points) |
| 8 | Linden | 40.5% (±3.8 points) |
| 9 | Springfield Township (Union County) | 33.2% (±5.1 points) |
Showing 9 of 21 places in Union County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Plainfield
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Questions about Plainfield
How many renters are there in Plainfield?
Plainfield has an estimated 8,782 (±593) renting households, 55.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is renting growing in Plainfield?
In Plainfield, the share of households that rent went from 55.8% in 2015–2019 to 55.2% in 2020–2024 (−0.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.
How big are renting households in Plainfield?
A renting household in Plainfield has 3.7 people on average, against 3.1 in an owned home.
How much do renters earn in Plainfield?
The median renting household in Plainfield, NJ has an income of $60,574 (±$4,077) a year, against $127,679 for households that own their home.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) 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 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M
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.
Figures last updated on .
Related
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- New Jersey landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Union County
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- Housing data for every place in New Jersey