PlainZIP

Piscataway, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08854

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

55,961
1,149/sq mi
$127,806
Median income
$449,900
Median home value
48.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 7%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 16%
home value, US ZIPs
1,149
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08854 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08854 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey, with 55,961 residents across 48.7 square miles, a density of 1,149 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08854 skews affluent, with a median household income of $127,806 (5% above the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $44,874. The poverty rate stands at 3.9% and the unemployment rate at 8.0%. On housing, the median home value is $449,900 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $2,019 per month, and 64.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. To put 08854 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Middlesex County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 08854

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Piscataway, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08854.

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 08854, Piscataway, 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

55,961

Population

48.7

Area (sq mi)

1,149

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 08854?

33.4

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

33.8%

Foreign-Born

White 32.3%
African American 20.8%
Asian 30.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.1%

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?

$127,806

Median Household Income

+5% vs state

$44,874

Per Capita Income

3.9%

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment Rate

26.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08854 ranks nationally

Piscataway, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$127,806 Top 7% higher than 93% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 68.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 48.8%

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

What does housing look like?

18,225

Total Housing Units

17,600

Occupied Units

625

Vacant Units

2.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.0%
Renter 36.0%

$449,900

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$2,019

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

+10.9%

YoY Change (2024)

291

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+191%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08854 have increased 10.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +191% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 187
2021 +11.7% 209
2022 +12.1% 234
2023 +12.1% 262
2024 +10.9% 291

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 1,239 business establishments in ZIP 08854, employing approximately 31,170 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,617,549,000.

1,239

Businesses

31,170

Employees

$2.6B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 276 22.3%
Health care and social assistance 115 9.3%
Wholesale trade 110 8.9%
Accommodation and food services 97 7.8%
Retail trade 95 7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 95 7.7%
Other services (except public administration) 81 6.5%
Transportation and warehousing 79 6.4%
Construction 70 5.7%
Manufacturing 54 4.4%
Information 51 4.1%
Finance and insurance 38 3.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 2.9%
Educational services 19 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 0.6%
Utilities 3 0.2%

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 08854 vs 08846 →

ZIP 08854 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 08854 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 08854 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 08854 ranks #3 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
08846 Middlesex, NJ 13,635 2.7 mi
08812 Dunellen, NJ 14,296 3.8 mi
08880 South Bound Brook, NJ 4,563 3.4 mi
07063 Plainfield, NJ 13,538 4.1 mi
07080 South Plainfield, NJ 23,377 3.2 mi
08904 Highland Park, NJ 13,982 3.7 mi
08901 New Brunswick, NJ 55,223 4.5 mi
08805 Bound Brook, NJ 12,254 4.2 mi
08817 Edison, NJ 44,621 4.2 mi
08840 Metuchen, NJ 16,558 5.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

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
08902 standard
North Brunswick, NJ
Pop: 41,153

Related Areas

Middlesex County Piscataway, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08854 in? ▼
ZIP code 08854 (Piscataway) 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 08854? ▼
ZIP code 08854 in Piscataway, NJ has a population of 55,961 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08854? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08854 is $127,806, which is 68% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08854? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08854 is $449,900, which is 62% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08854? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08854 is White at 32.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08854? ▼
ZIP code 08854 has 1,239 business establishments employing approximately 31,170 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08854? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08854 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (276), Health care and social assistance (115), Wholesale trade (110). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08854? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08854 increased by 10.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 191%. 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 08854? ▼
In ZIP code 08854, 68.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.8% 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 08854? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08854 is 26.1 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 08854? ▼
In ZIP code 08854, approximately 64.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08854? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08854 is 3.9% 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.