PlainZIP

Somerset, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08873

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

49,921
597/sq mi
$124,972
Median income
$465,800
Median home value
54.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
597
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08873 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08873 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Somerset, Somerset County, New Jersey, with 49,921 residents across 83.6 square miles, a density of 597 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08873 skews affluent, with a median household income of $124,972 (2% above the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $60,750. 5.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.7%. Median home value sits at $465,800 (10% below the state average), median rent at $2,087 a month, and owner-occupancy at 67.6%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 54.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.4, and the average commute is 34 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Somerset County, letting you compare 08873 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 08873

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Somerset, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08873.

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 08873, Somerset, 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

49,921

Population

83.6

Area (sq mi)

597

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 08873?

40.4

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

33.4%

Foreign-Born

White 29.8%
African American 28.5%
Asian 21.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 20.1%

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?

$124,972

Median Household Income

+2% vs state

$60,750

Per Capita Income

5.8%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

33.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08873 ranks nationally

Somerset, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$124,972 Top 8% higher than 92% 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 72.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 54.6%

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

What does housing look like?

22,374

Total Housing Units

21,831

Occupied Units

543

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.6%
Renter 32.4%

$465,800

Median Home Value

-10% vs state

$2,087

Median Rent

1984

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

+12.9%

YoY Change (2024)

268

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+168%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08873 have increased 12.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +168% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.8% 175
2021 +10.7% 194
2022 +13.7% 221
2023 +7.7% 238
2024 +12.9% 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 1,485 business establishments in ZIP 08873, employing approximately 38,103 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,125,451,000.

1,485

Businesses

38,103

Employees

$3.1B

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 256 17.2%
Health care and social assistance 244 16.4%
Wholesale trade 140 9.4%
Retail trade 118 8.0%
Accommodation and food services 111 7.5%
Other services (except public administration) 109 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 98 6.6%
Construction 89 6.0%
Transportation and warehousing 73 4.9%
Manufacturing 55 3.7%
Finance and insurance 55 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 38 2.6%
Information 30 2.0%
Educational services 30 2.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 21 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 0.7%
Utilities 5 0.3%
Industries not classified 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 08873 vs 08880 →

ZIP 08873 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 08873 ranks #2 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 08873 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 08873 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
08880 South Bound Brook, NJ 4,563 3.8 mi
08805 Bound Brook, NJ 12,254 5.1 mi
08890 Zarephath, NJ 17 3.6 mi
08823 Franklin Park, NJ 9,016 4.3 mi
08824 Kendall Park, NJ 12,115 5.3 mi
08835 Manville, NJ 10,344 4.2 mi
08902 North Brunswick, NJ 41,153 4.7 mi
08901 New Brunswick, NJ 55,223 4.8 mi
08904 Highland Park, NJ 13,982 5.5 mi
08846 Middlesex, NJ 13,635 5.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Somerset County

08844 standard
Hillsborough, NJ
Pop: 38,367
08807 standard
Bridgewater, NJ
Pop: 37,972
07920 standard
Basking Ridge, NJ
Pop: 26,747
08876 standard
Somerville, NJ
Pop: 22,179
07059 standard
Warren, NJ
Pop: 15,311
08805 standard
Bound Brook, NJ
Pop: 12,254

Related Areas

Somerset County Somerset, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08873 in? ▼
ZIP code 08873 (Somerset) is located in Somerset County, New Jersey. Somerset County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/somerset-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08873? ▼
ZIP code 08873 in Somerset, NJ has a population of 49,921 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08873? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08873 is $124,972, which is 64% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08873? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08873 is $465,800, which is 67% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08873? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08873 is White at 29.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 20.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08873? ▼
ZIP code 08873 has 1,485 business establishments employing approximately 38,103 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08873? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08873 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (256), Health care and social assistance (244), Wholesale trade (140). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08873? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08873 increased by 12.9% 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 08873? ▼
In ZIP code 08873, 72.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 54.6% 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 08873? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08873 is 33.7 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 08873? ▼
In ZIP code 08873, approximately 67.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08873? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08873 is 5.8% 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.