What percentage of people rent in Watchung Borough, NJ?

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

15.9% (±6.7 points) of the occupied homes in Watchung Borough, NJ are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 375 renting households against 1,982 that own their home.

In Watchung Borough, the share of households that rent went from 17.6% in 2015–2019 to 15.9% in 2020–2024 (−1.7 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 15.9% (±6.7 points)
Renting households: 375 (±168)
Median renter income: $82,148 (±$27,407)

Who rents and who owns in Watchung Borough

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Watchung Borough	Somerset County	New Jersey	United States
Renter-occupied share	15.9% (±6.7 points)	25.7% (±0.9 points)	36.2% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	375 (±168)	33,615 (±1,269)	1,268,573 (±8,082)	45,017,354
Owning households	1,982 (±186)	97,187 (±1,176)	2,239,128 (±10,678)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.2 (±0.6)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.8 (±0.3)	2.8 (±0.0)	2.8 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$82,148 (±$27,407)	$82,470 (±$5,113)	$62,674 (±$718)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$204,049 (±$51,191)	$170,007 (±$3,672)	$133,477 (±$624)	$100,009

In Watchung Borough, the renter share is lower than in Somerset County (25.7%).

It is also lower than in New Jersey (36.2%).

It is lower than the national figure (34.8%).

In Somerset County, Watchung Borough ranks 14 of 21 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 362 of 564.

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

How renting in Watchung Borough has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	17.6% (±6.9 points)	15.9% (±6.7 points)	−1.7 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$2,021 (±$253)	$2,738 (±$602)	+35.5%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$157,263 (±$17,456)	$173,672 (±$13,493)	+10.4%	No measurable change 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 Watchung Borough

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Watchung Borough
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Watchung Borough	—	15.9% (±6.7 points)	—
North Plainfield Borough	1.5 mi	46.7% (±4.8 points)	Higher
Plainfield	2.2 mi	55.2% (±2.5 points)	Higher
Berkeley Heights Township	2.4 mi	6.7% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Fanwood Borough	2.7 mi	15.1% (±4.2 points)	Not measurably different
Scotch Plains Township	3.4 mi	21.0% (±3.2 points)	Not measurably different
Green Brook Township	3.7 mi	6.8% (±4.8 points)	Lower
Gillette	3.8 mi	5.6% (±7.7 points)	Lower
Stirling	3.8 mi	16.4% (±8.5 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Berkeley Heights Township, NJ (6.7%), Green Brook Township, NJ (6.8%), Gillette, NJ (5.6%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: North Plainfield Borough, NJ (46.7%), Plainfield, NJ (55.2%).

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

Households that rent across Somerset County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
8	Manville Borough	23.0% (±4.8 points)
9	Bedminster Township	21.1% (±3.9 points)
10	Hillsborough Township	20.5% (±2.3 points)
11	Peapack and Gladstone Borough	20.4% (±11.9 points)
12	Bernards Township	16.9% (±2.5 points)
13	Branchburg Township	16.8% (±3.9 points)
14	Watchung Borough	15.9% (±6.7 points)
15	Montgomery Township	15.4% (±2.8 points)
16	Bridgewater Township	15.1% (±2.1 points)
17	Far Hills Borough	12.9% (±5.3 points)
18	Warren Township	11.8% (±6.2 points)
19	Millstone Borough	10.1% (±5.4 points)
20	Green Brook Township	6.8% (±4.8 points)

Showing 13 of 21 places in Somerset 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.

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Questions about Watchung Borough

How many renters are there in Watchung Borough?

Watchung Borough has an estimated 375 (±168) renting households, 15.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Watchung Borough?

In Watchung Borough, the share of households that rent went from 17.6% in 2015–2019 to 15.9% in 2020–2024 (−1.7 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Watchung Borough?

A renting household in Watchung Borough has 2.2 people on average, against 2.8 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Watchung Borough?

The median renting household in Watchung Borough, NJ has an income of $82,148 (±$27,407) a year, against $204,049 for households that own their home.

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Watchung borough, Somerset County, New Jersey (county subdivision:77600, in state:34 county:035).

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.

Request a Census API 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.