PlainZIP

South Amboy, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08879

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

23,537
1,260/sq mi
$92,786
Median income
$389,800
Median home value
28.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

South Amboy pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 22%
home value, US ZIPs
1,260
people per sq mi
63%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08879 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08879 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in South Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, with 23,537 residents across 18.7 square miles, a density of 1,260 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08879 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,786 (24% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $43,799. Local economic indicators show a 8.7% poverty rate alongside 7.6% unemployment. Housing costs here run $389,800 for a typical home value (25% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,660 a month; 62.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41, and the average commute is 30 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Middlesex County, letting you compare 08879 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 08879

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in South Amboy, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08879.

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 08879, South Amboy, 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

23,537

Population

18.7

Area (sq mi)

1,260

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 08879?

41.0

Median Age

47.2%

Male

52.8%

Female

21.9%

Foreign-Born

White 59.4%
African American 12.0%
Asian 6.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.2%
Hispanic or Latino 24.8%

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?

$92,786

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$43,799

Per Capita Income

8.7%

Poverty Rate

7.6%

Unemployment Rate

29.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08879 ranks nationally

South Amboy, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$92,786 Top 24% higher than 76% 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 63.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.9%

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

What does housing look like?

9,876

Total Housing Units

9,344

Occupied Units

532

Vacant Units

2.51

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 62.9%
Renter 37.1%

$389,800

Median Home Value

-25% vs state

$1,660

Median Rent

1960

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

+9.6%

YoY Change (2024)

300

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+200%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08879 have increased 9.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +200% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 197
2021 +11.3% 220
2022 +11.3% 244
2023 +11.9% 273
2024 +9.6% 300

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 391 business establishments in ZIP 08879, employing approximately 4,852 people with a combined annual payroll of $213,329,000.

391

Businesses

4,852

Employees

$213.3M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 56 14.3%
Other services (except public administration) 56 14.3%
Accommodation and food services 49 12.5%
Construction 45 11.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 35 8.9%
Health care and social assistance 33 8.4%
Transportation and warehousing 27 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 5.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 4.6%
Wholesale trade 16 4.1%
Finance and insurance 8 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 2.0%
Manufacturing 7 1.8%
Information 7 1.8%

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 08879 vs 08859 →

ZIP 08879 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 08879 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 08879 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 08879 ranks #9 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
08859 Parlin, NJ 21,526 1.5 mi
08861 Perth Amboy, NJ 53,099 3.8 mi
08872 Sayreville, NJ 18,811 3.2 mi
07721 Cliffwood, NJ 2,974 3.0 mi
07747 Matawan, NJ 30,770 3.9 mi
10307 Staten Island, NY 14,096 3.5 mi
08832 Keasbey, NJ 2,863 3.9 mi
07095 Woodbridge, NJ 19,844 6.1 mi
08863 Fords, NJ 12,320 4.7 mi
07735 Keyport, NJ 19,569 4.4 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 South Amboy, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08879 in? ▼
ZIP code 08879 (South Amboy) 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 08879? ▼
ZIP code 08879 in South Amboy, NJ has a population of 23,537 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08879? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08879 is $92,786, which is 22% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08879? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08879 is $389,800, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08879? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08879 is White at 59.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08879? ▼
ZIP code 08879 has 391 business establishments employing approximately 4,852 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08879? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08879 are: Retail trade (56), Other services (except public administration) (56), Accommodation and food services (49). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08879? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08879 increased by 9.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 200%. 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 08879? ▼
In ZIP code 08879, 63.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.9% 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 08879? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08879 is 29.9 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 08879? ▼
In ZIP code 08879, approximately 62.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08879? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08879 is 8.7% 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.