PlainZIP

Hightstown, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08520

Mercer County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

27,869
613/sq mi
$118,010
Median income
$376,600
Median home value
46.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hightstown pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 10%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 23%
home value, US ZIPs
613
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08520 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08520 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hightstown, Mercer County, New Jersey, with 27,869 residents across 45.4 square miles, a density of 613 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08520 skews affluent, with a median household income of $118,010 (3% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $53,563. Poverty here runs at 6.1%, with unemployment measured at 4.8%. Housing costs here run $376,600 for a typical home value (27% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,657 a month; 69.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 08520, plus 6 more within Mercer County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 08520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hightstown, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08520.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 08520, Hightstown, NJ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

27,869

Population

45.4

Area (sq mi)

613

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 08520?

40.9

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

32.6%

Foreign-Born

White 50.4%
African American 6.7%
Asian 20.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$118,010

Median Household Income

-3% vs state

$53,563

Per Capita Income

6.1%

Poverty Rate

4.8%

Unemployment Rate

26.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08520 ranks nationally

Hightstown, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$118,010 Top 10% higher than 90% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 71.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 46.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

11,498

Total Housing Units

10,974

Occupied Units

524

Vacant Units

2.67

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.9%
Renter 30.1%

$376,600

Median Home Value

-27% vs state

$1,657

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.4%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08520 have increased 9.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 168
2021 +10.3% 186
2022 +15.1% 214
2023 +14.6% 245
2024 +9.4% 268

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 669 business establishments in ZIP 08520, employing approximately 9,960 people with a combined annual payroll of $565,479,000.

669

Businesses

9,960

Employees

$565.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 108 16.1%
Retail trade 85 12.7%
Other services (except public administration) 80 12.0%
Health care and social assistance 75 11.2%
Accommodation and food services 73 10.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 47 7.0%
Construction 42 6.3%
Wholesale trade 28 4.2%
Finance and insurance 27 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 24 3.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 17 2.5%
Information 16 2.4%
Educational services 13 1.9%
Manufacturing 11 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 08520 vs 08561 →

ZIP 08520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08520 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 08520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 08520 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
08561 Windsor, NJ 226 2.6 mi
08512 Cranbury, NJ 10,105 4.5 mi
08555 Roosevelt, NJ 877 4.0 mi
08691 Trenton, NJ 15,104 4.5 mi
08550 Princeton Junction, NJ 19,445 4.9 mi
08535 Millstone Township, NJ 5,385 5.1 mi
08501 Allentown, NJ 6,582 7.0 mi
08536 Plainsboro, NJ 20,073 6.1 mi
08852 Monmouth Junction, NJ 17,220 9.2 mi
08810 Dayton, NJ 8,401 8.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mercer County

08540 standard
Princeton, NJ
Pop: 47,115
08618 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 38,229
08648 standard
Lawrence Township, NJ
Pop: 32,263
08610 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 30,468
08611 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 28,038
08638 standard
Trenton, NJ
Pop: 22,832

Related Areas

Mercer County Hightstown, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08520 in? ▼
ZIP code 08520 (Hightstown) is located in Mercer County, New Jersey. Mercer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mercer-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08520? ▼
ZIP code 08520 in Hightstown, NJ has a population of 27,869 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08520? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08520 is $118,010, which is 55% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08520? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08520 is $376,600, which is 35% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08520? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08520 is White at 50.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 23.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08520? ▼
ZIP code 08520 has 669 business establishments employing approximately 9,960 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08520? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08520 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (108), Retail trade (85), Other services (except public administration) (80). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08520? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08520 increased by 9.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 168%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 08520? ▼
In ZIP code 08520, 71.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 08520? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08520 is 26.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08520? ▼
In ZIP code 08520, approximately 69.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08520? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08520 is 6.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.