PlainZIP

Milltown, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08850

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

8,281
1,302/sq mi
$141,601
Median income
$470,700
Median home value
45.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 5%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
1,302
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08850 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08850 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milltown, Middlesex County, New Jersey, home to 8,281 residents across 6.4 square miles, a density of 1,302 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08850 skews affluent, with a median household income of $141,601 (16% above the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $63,105. Poverty here runs at 1.5%, with unemployment measured at 3.6%. On housing, the median home value is $470,700 (9% below the state average) with median rent at $1,218 per month, and 84.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 45.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.1, 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 08850 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 08850

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milltown, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08850.

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 08850, Milltown, 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

8,281

Population

6.4

Area (sq mi)

1,302

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 08850?

42.1

Median Age

46.7%

Male

53.3%

Female

18.9%

Foreign-Born

White 75.2%
African American 2.6%
Asian 6.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%

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?

$141,601

Median Household Income

+16% vs state

$63,105

Per Capita Income

1.5%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

30.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08850 ranks nationally

Milltown, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$141,601 Top 5% higher than 95% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 66.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.0%

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

What does housing look like?

3,281

Total Housing Units

3,149

Occupied Units

132

Vacant Units

2.71

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.7%
Renter 15.3%

$470,700

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$1,218

Median Rent

1963

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

+10.3%

YoY Change (2024)

273

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+173%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08850 have increased 10.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +173% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 176
2021 +9.3% 192
2022 +11.5% 214
2023 +15.8% 248
2024 +10.3% 273

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 201 business establishments in ZIP 08850, employing approximately 1,680 people with a combined annual payroll of $64,690,000.

201

Businesses

1,680

Employees

$64.7M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 37 18.4%
Retail trade 29 14.4%
Accommodation and food services 25 12.4%
Construction 24 11.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 24 11.9%
Health care and social assistance 16 8.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 5.5%
Finance and insurance 9 4.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 6 3.0%
Wholesale trade 3 1.5%
Information 3 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.5%

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 08850 vs 08901 →

ZIP 08850 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 08850 ranks #9 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 08850 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 08850 ranks #2 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
08901 New Brunswick, NJ 55,223 2.5 mi
08816 East Brunswick, NJ 46,298 1.8 mi
08902 North Brunswick, NJ 41,153 2.5 mi
08882 South River, NJ 16,008 3.2 mi
08904 Highland Park, NJ 13,982 3.7 mi
08828 Helmetta, NJ 2,178 4.9 mi
08884 Spotswood, NJ 8,257 4.4 mi
08817 Edison, NJ 44,621 5.3 mi
08872 Sayreville, NJ 18,811 5.5 mi
08854 Piscataway, NJ 55,961 7.0 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
08817 standard
Edison, NJ
Pop: 44,621

Related Areas

Middlesex County Milltown, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08850 in? ▼
ZIP code 08850 (Milltown) 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 08850? ▼
ZIP code 08850 in Milltown, NJ has a population of 8,281 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08850? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08850 is $141,601, which is 86% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08850? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08850 is $470,700, which is 69% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08850? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08850 is White at 75.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08850? ▼
ZIP code 08850 has 201 business establishments employing approximately 1,680 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08850? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08850 are: Other services (except public administration) (37), Retail trade (29), Accommodation and food services (25). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08850? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08850 increased by 10.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 173%. 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 08850? ▼
In ZIP code 08850, 66.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 45.0% 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 08850? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08850 is 30.0 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 08850? ▼
In ZIP code 08850, approximately 84.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08850? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08850 is 1.5% 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.