PlainZIP

Highland Park, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08904

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

13,982
2,964/sq mi
$104,694
Median income
$471,700
Median home value
69.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Highland Park pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 16%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
2,964
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08904 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08904 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Highland Park, Middlesex County, New Jersey, home to 13,982 residents across 4.7 square miles, a density of 2,964 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08904 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $104,694 (14% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $58,731. The poverty rate stands at 7.5% and the unemployment rate at 4.8%. Median home value sits at $471,700 (9% below the state average), median rent at $1,873 a month, and owner-occupancy at 40.3%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 69.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.2, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Middlesex County, so you can benchmark 08904 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 08904

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Highland Park, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08904.

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 08904, Highland Park, 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

13,982

Population

4.7

Area (sq mi)

2,964

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 08904?

35.2

Median Age

50.5%

Male

49.5%

Female

34.3%

Foreign-Born

White 57.1%
African American 3.6%
Asian 21.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 15.8%

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?

$104,694

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$58,731

Per Capita Income

7.5%

Poverty Rate

4.8%

Unemployment Rate

27.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08904 ranks nationally

Highland Park, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$104,694 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 80.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 69.8%

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

What does housing look like?

6,759

Total Housing Units

6,436

Occupied Units

323

Vacant Units

2.34

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 40.3%
Renter 59.7%

$471,700

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$1,873

Median Rent

1962

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)

259

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+159%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08904 have increased 10.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +159% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.4% 179
2021 +7.6% 193
2022 +9.3% 211
2023 +11.2% 235
2024 +10.3% 259

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 306 business establishments in ZIP 08904, employing approximately 2,034 people with a combined annual payroll of $99,732,000.

306

Businesses

2,034

Employees

$99.7M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 64 20.9%
Other services (except public administration) 42 13.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 39 12.8%
Accommodation and food services 33 10.8%
Retail trade 31 10.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 25 8.2%
Construction 20 6.5%
Transportation and warehousing 11 3.6%
Educational services 11 3.6%
Finance and insurance 9 2.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 2.9%
Manufacturing 5 1.6%
Wholesale trade 4 1.3%
Information 3 1.0%

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 08904 vs 08901 →

ZIP 08904 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 08904 ranks #0 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 08904 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 08904 ranks #8 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 1.4 mi
08817 Edison, NJ 44,621 2.1 mi
08850 Milltown, NJ 8,281 3.7 mi
08854 Piscataway, NJ 55,961 3.7 mi
08816 East Brunswick, NJ 46,298 5.0 mi
07080 South Plainfield, NJ 23,377 5.2 mi
08837 Edison, NJ 15,847 4.5 mi
08882 South River, NJ 16,008 4.6 mi
08873 Somerset, NJ 49,921 5.5 mi
08840 Metuchen, NJ 16,558 4.7 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 Highland Park, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08904 in? ▼
ZIP code 08904 (Highland Park) 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 08904? ▼
ZIP code 08904 in Highland Park, NJ has a population of 13,982 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08904? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08904 is $104,694, which is 37% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08904? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08904 is $471,700, which is 70% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08904? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08904 is White at 57.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08904? ▼
ZIP code 08904 has 306 business establishments employing approximately 2,034 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08904? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08904 are: Health care and social assistance (64), Other services (except public administration) (42), Professional, scientific, and technical services (39). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08904? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08904 increased by 10.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 159%. 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 08904? ▼
In ZIP code 08904, 80.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 69.8% 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 08904? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08904 is 27.1 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 08904? ▼
In ZIP code 08904, approximately 40.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 59.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08904? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08904 is 7.5% 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.