South Plainfield, NJ
Census place 3469390 · pop 24,473
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,829/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.83% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$470,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1931 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
118 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
44.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
14.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$130,239 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
85.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
3.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.34 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Frequently asked
- Is South Plainfield, NJ a good place to live?
- By the numbers, South Plainfield scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is rent. New Jersey overall ranks #43 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is South Plainfield, NJ?
- South Plainfield reports 118 violent crimes per 100k and 1931 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is South Plainfield, NJ expensive to live in?
- South Plainfield has a median home value of $470,900 and typical rent around $2,829/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in South Plainfield, NJ?
- Its weakest measured area is rent ($2,829/mo) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is South Plainfield, NJ best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.34) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.