PlainZIP

Parlin, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08859

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

21,526
1,844/sq mi
$99,882
Median income
$445,800
Median home value
37.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 17%
home value, US ZIPs
1,844
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08859 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08859 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Parlin, Middlesex County, New Jersey, with 21,526 residents across 11.7 square miles, a density of 1,844 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08859 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $99,882 (18% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $45,141. 7.0% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.2%. On housing, the median home value is $445,800 (14% below the state average) with median rent at $1,654 per month, and 58.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 37.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 32 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Middlesex County, so you can benchmark 08859 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 08859

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Parlin, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08859.

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 08859, Parlin, 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

21,526

Population

11.7

Area (sq mi)

1,844

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 08859?

39.1

Median Age

48.6%

Male

51.4%

Female

33.1%

Foreign-Born

White 48.6%
African American 16.7%
Asian 18.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%

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?

$99,882

Median Household Income

-18% vs state

$45,141

Per Capita Income

7.0%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

32.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08859 ranks nationally

Parlin, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$99,882 Top 19% higher than 81% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 70.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.6%

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

What does housing look like?

9,378

Total Housing Units

9,123

Occupied Units

255

Vacant Units

2.79

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 58.4%
Renter 41.6%

$445,800

Median Home Value

-14% vs state

$1,654

Median Rent

1971

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

+11.5%

YoY Change (2024)

283

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+183%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08859 have increased 11.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +183% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 188
2021 +9.6% 206
2022 +13.1% 233
2023 +8.9% 254
2024 +11.5% 283

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 376 business establishments in ZIP 08859, employing approximately 4,022 people with a combined annual payroll of $194,225,000.

376

Businesses

4,022

Employees

$194.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 48 12.8%
Construction 47 12.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 46 12.2%
Health care and social assistance 42 11.2%
Accommodation and food services 33 8.8%
Other services (except public administration) 31 8.2%
Transportation and warehousing 25 6.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 6.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 5.0%
Wholesale trade 15 4.0%
Educational services 14 3.7%
Finance and insurance 9 2.4%
Manufacturing 8 2.1%
Information 7 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 1.9%

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 08859 vs 08879 →

ZIP 08859 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 08859 ranks #5 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 08859 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 08859 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
08879 South Amboy, NJ 23,537 1.5 mi
08872 Sayreville, NJ 18,811 1.8 mi
08832 Keasbey, NJ 2,863 4.0 mi
08863 Fords, NJ 12,320 4.7 mi
08882 South River, NJ 16,008 4.0 mi
08861 Perth Amboy, NJ 53,099 4.5 mi
07721 Cliffwood, NJ 2,974 4.0 mi
08857 Old Bridge, NJ 39,898 4.9 mi
08837 Edison, NJ 15,847 4.3 mi
07747 Matawan, NJ 30,770 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
08817 standard
Edison, NJ
Pop: 44,621

Related Areas

Middlesex County Parlin, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08859 in? ▼
ZIP code 08859 (Parlin) 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 08859? ▼
ZIP code 08859 in Parlin, NJ has a population of 21,526 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08859? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08859 is $99,882, which is 31% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08859? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08859 is $445,800, which is 60% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08859? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08859 is White at 48.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 19.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08859? ▼
ZIP code 08859 has 376 business establishments employing approximately 4,022 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08859? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08859 are: Retail trade (48), Construction (47), Professional, scientific, and technical services (46). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08859? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08859 increased by 11.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 183%. 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 08859? ▼
In ZIP code 08859, 70.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.6% 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 08859? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08859 is 32.1 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 08859? ▼
In ZIP code 08859, approximately 58.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08859? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08859 is 7.0% 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.