PlainZIP

Edison, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08817

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

44,621
1,605/sq mi
$110,808
Median income
$431,100
Median home value
50.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Edison pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 13%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 18%
home value, US ZIPs
1,605
people per sq mi
54%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08817 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08817 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey, with 44,621 residents across 27.8 square miles, a density of 1,605 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08817 skews affluent, with a median household income of $110,808 (9% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $47,123. Poverty here runs at 6.3%, with unemployment measured at 7.8%. Median home value sits at $431,100 (17% below the state average), median rent at $2,030 a month, and owner-occupancy at 53.8%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.5, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Middlesex County, so you can benchmark 08817 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 08817

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Edison, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08817.

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 08817, Edison, 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

44,621

Population

27.8

Area (sq mi)

1,605

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 08817?

38.5

Median Age

50.8%

Male

49.2%

Female

44.0%

Foreign-Born

White 30.7%
African American 10.2%
Asian 41.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 15.0%

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?

$110,808

Median Household Income

-9% vs state

$47,123

Per Capita Income

6.3%

Poverty Rate

7.8%

Unemployment Rate

30.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08817 ranks nationally

Edison, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$110,808 Top 13% higher than 87% 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 71.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.6%

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

What does housing look like?

18,075

Total Housing Units

17,411

Occupied Units

664

Vacant Units

2.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.8%
Renter 46.2%

$431,100

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

$2,030

Median Rent

1970

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

+17.4%

YoY Change (2024)

328

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+228%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08817 have increased 17.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +228% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 202
2021 +10.6% 224
2022 +12.9% 253
2023 +10.4% 279
2024 +17.4% 328

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 1,467 business establishments in ZIP 08817, employing approximately 33,129 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,065,990,000.

1,467

Businesses

33,129

Employees

$2.1B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 308 21.0%
Accommodation and food services 159 10.8%
Retail trade 155 10.6%
Wholesale trade 136 9.3%
Transportation and warehousing 123 8.4%
Health care and social assistance 117 8.0%
Other services (except public administration) 110 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 80 5.5%
Construction 79 5.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 50 3.4%
Manufacturing 48 3.3%
Finance and insurance 36 2.5%
Educational services 22 1.5%
Information 18 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 0.9%
Utilities 6 0.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.4%

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 08817 vs 08904 →

ZIP 08817 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 08817 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 08817 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 08817 ranks #6 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
08904 Highland Park, NJ 13,982 2.1 mi
08837 Edison, NJ 15,847 2.6 mi
08840 Metuchen, NJ 16,558 2.7 mi
08901 New Brunswick, NJ 55,223 3.3 mi
07080 South Plainfield, NJ 23,377 4.2 mi
08882 South River, NJ 16,008 4.9 mi
08832 Keasbey, NJ 2,863 4.6 mi
08820 Edison, NJ 39,590 4.5 mi
08863 Fords, NJ 12,320 4.2 mi
08854 Piscataway, NJ 55,961 4.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

08854 standard
Piscataway, NJ
Pop: 55,961
08901 standard
New Brunswick, NJ
Pop: 55,223
08861 standard
Perth Amboy, NJ
Pop: 53,099
08816 standard
East Brunswick, NJ
Pop: 46,298
08831 standard
Monroe Township, NJ
Pop: 45,620
08902 standard
North Brunswick, NJ
Pop: 41,153

Related Areas

Middlesex County Edison, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08817 in? ▼
ZIP code 08817 (Edison) is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Middlesex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/middlesex-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08817? ▼
ZIP code 08817 in Edison, NJ has a population of 44,621 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08817? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08817 is $110,808, which is 45% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08817? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08817 is $431,100, which is 55% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08817? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08817 is Asian at 41.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08817? ▼
ZIP code 08817 has 1,467 business establishments employing approximately 33,129 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08817? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08817 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (308), Accommodation and food services (159), Retail trade (155). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08817? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08817 increased by 17.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 228%. 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 08817? ▼
In ZIP code 08817, 71.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.6% 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 08817? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08817 is 30.3 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 08817? ▼
In ZIP code 08817, approximately 53.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08817? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08817 is 6.3% 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.