Mercer County, NJ

County

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2020 Population

368,085

0.0443% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bob Menendez

Democratic Party

US Senator

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

2018 Median Age

38.7

0.259% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

11.1%

4.63% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$83,306

2.77% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$290,100

0.344% 1-year decline

2020 Employed Population

179,189

0.58% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Mercer County, NJ had a population of 368k people with a median age of 38.7 and a median household income of $83,306. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Mercer County, NJ grew from 367,922 to 368,085, a 0.0443% increase and its median household income grew from $81,057 to $83,306, a 2.77% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, NJ are White (Non-Hispanic) (48.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (19.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (11.5%), White (Hispanic) (10.9%), and Other (Hispanic) (3.91%).

None of the households in Mercer County, NJ reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

88.2% of the residents in Mercer County, NJ are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mercer County, NJ are Thomas Edison State University (2,587 degrees awarded in 2021), The College of New Jersey (2,212 degrees), and Princeton University (2,075 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Mercer County, NJ was $290,100, and the homeownership rate was 63.5%.

Most people in Mercer County, NJ drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Mercer County, NJ was 2 cars per household.

Mercer County, NJ borders Burlington County, NJ, Hunterdon County, NJ, Middlesex County, NJ, Monmouth County, NJ, Somerset County, NJ, and Bucks County, PA.

About the photo: State Capitol Rotunda, Trenton, NJ

Photo by Peter Miller

United States New Jersey Trenton, NJ

Population & Diversity

Mercer County, NJ is home to a population of 368k people, from which 88.2% are citizens. As of 2020, 23% of Mercer County, NJ residents were born outside of the country (84.8k people).

In 2020, there were 2.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (180k people) in Mercer County, NJ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 72.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 42.2k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.2%

2020 Citizenship

88.1%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 88.2% of Mercer County, NJ residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Mercer County, NJ was 88.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mercer County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mercer County, NJ

White (Non-Hispanic)
180k ± 188
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
72.2k ± 808
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
42.2k ± 487

17.9%

Hispanic Population

66k people

17.9% of the people in Mercer County, NJ are hispanic (66k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Mercer County, NJ as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for New Jersey.

Most Common Origin

India
263,388 ± 12,412 people
Dominican Republic
182,812 ± 10,389 people
Mexico
106,394 ± 7,960 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of New Jersey was India, the natal country of 263,388 New Jersey residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 182,812 and Mexico with 106,394.

Foreign-Born Population

23%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

84.8k people

22.9%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

84.3k people

As of 2020, 23% of Mercer County, NJ residents (84.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mercer County, NJ was 22.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mercer County, NJ compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,114 ± 495
Gulf War (2001-)
1,919 ± 548
Korea
1,204 ± 215

Mercer County, NJ has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.14 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mercer County, NJ employs 179k people. The largest industries in Mercer County, NJ are Educational Services (24,507 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,259 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (18,149 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($97,448), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($93,862), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,421).

Males in New Jersey have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $67,739. The income inequality in New Jersey (measured using the Gini index) is 0.49, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

179k

2020 Value

± 3,615

−0.58%

1 Year decline

± 2.71%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mercer County, NJ declined at a rate of −0.58%, from 180k employees to 179k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mercer County, NJ, are Management Occupations (21,272 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (20,007 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (15,350 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mercer County, NJ.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in New Jersey (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

179k

2020 Value

± 3,615

−0.58%

1 Year decline

± 2.71%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Mercer County, NJ declined at a rate of −0.58%, from 180k employees to 179k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mercer County, NJ, are Educational Services (24,507 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (23,259 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (18,149 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mercer County, NJ, though some of these residents may live in Mercer County, NJ and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$54,978

Median earning men ± $1,573

$40,685

Median earning women ± $1,297

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($123,936), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($87,837), and Information ($82,464).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Manufacturing ($67,821), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,707), and Public Administration ($59,874).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in New Jersey. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in New Jersey.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

5,027
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,992
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
2,064
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$11.6M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$4.19M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$3.76M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from New Jersey to other states, or from other states to New Jersey.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound New Jersey product (by dollars) was Electronics with $68.4B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($64.3B) and Motorized vehicles ($45.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound New Jersey products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for New Jersey.

$634B

2020 Value in New Jersey

$1.35T

Projected 2050 Value in New Jersey

113% growth

In 2020, total outbound New Jersey trade was $634B. This is expected to increase 113% to $1.35T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound New Jersey trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from New Jersey to other states, or from other states to New Jersey.

Most Common Trade Partners

New York
$114B
Pennsylvania
$59.4B
Ohio
$21.2B

In 2020, the top outbound New Jersey domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New York with $114B, followed by Pennsylvania with $59.4B and Ohio and $21.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that New Jersey shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mercer County, NJ went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 69.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (29.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.808%).

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing the state of New Jersey. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (69.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (29.2%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.808%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mercer County, NJ for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from New Jersey

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Bob Menendez

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on January 17, 2006
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jon Corzine, who was elected Governor of New Jersey.

Cory Booker

Senator from New Jersey

Assumed office on October 31, 2013
Elected to the seat to succeed Jeffrey Chiesa, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Frank Lautenberg.

Bob Menendez and Cory Booker are the senators currently representing New Jersey.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in New Jersey over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from New Jersey

New Jersey is currently represented by 12 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for New Jersey have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Mercer County, NJ awarded 9,640 degrees. The student population of Mercer County, NJ in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 36,070 male students and 37,952 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mercer County, NJ are White (4,876 and 54.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,171 and 13.1%), Black or African American (909 and 10.2%), and Asian (870 and 9.75%).

The largest universities in Mercer County, NJ by number of degrees awarded are Thomas Edison State University (2,587 and 26.8%), The College of New Jersey (2,212 and 22.9%), and Princeton University (2,075 and 21.5%).

The most popular majors in Mercer County, NJ are General Business Administration & Management (821 and 8.52%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (810 and 8.4%), and Other Multidisciplinary Studies (552 and 5.73%).

The median tuition costs in Mercer County, NJ are $45,505 for private four year colleges, and $10,393 and $17,626 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Mercer County, NJ, the percentage of applicants admitted was 26.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 74,022 (48.7% men and 51.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 74,022 students enrolled in Mercer County, NJ, 48.7% men and 51.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 34,216 records, of which 49.4% were women and 50.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Multidisciplinary Studies
441 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
598 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
468 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mercer County, NJ was Other Multidisciplinary Studies with 441 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mercer County, NJ according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Thomas Edison State University
2,587 degrees awarded
The College of New Jersey
2,212 degrees awarded
Princeton University
2,075 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Thomas Edison State University with 2,587 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,497 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mercer County, NJ, which is 0.874 times less than the 5,143 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,876 degrees mean that there were 4.16 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,171 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($45,505) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($3,770) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,450) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Measure

In 2020, 0.943% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.978% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for New Jersey.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.89M), Bachelors Degree (1.64M), and Some college (1.28M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Mercer County, NJ was $290,100 in 2020, which is 1.26 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $291,100 to $290,100, a 0.344% decrease. The homeownership rate in Mercer County, NJ is 63.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Mercer County, NJ have an average commute time of 28.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mercer County, NJ is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mercer County, NJ is $83,306. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mercer County, NJ was Census Tract 43.06 with a value of $209,097, followed by Census Tract 43.09 and Census Tract 39.05, with respective values of $178,750 and $174,511.

In 2022, 18.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.102%.

Housing

Property

$290,100

Median Property Value 2020

±$5,288

$83,468

Median Property Taxes

±$1,914

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mercer County, NJ the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Mercer County, NJ compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.5%

Homeownership

2020

61.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 63.5% of the housing units in Mercer County, NJ were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mercer County, NJ compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 43.06
Census Tract 43.09
Census Tract 39.05

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mercer County, NJ was Census Tract 43.06 with a value of $209,097, followed by Census Tract 43.09 and Census Tract 39.05, with respective values of $178,750 and $174,511.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mercer County, NJ colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$83,306

Median Household Income

± $1,966

130k

Number of Households

± 2,383

In 2020, the median household income of the 130k households in Mercer County, NJ grew to $83,306 from the previous year's value of $81,057.

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, NJ distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mercer County, NJ is from New Jersey.

0.49

2020 Wage GINI in New Jersey

0.493

2019 Wage GINI in New Jersey

In 2020, the income inequality in New Jersey was 0.49 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.5% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for New Jersey was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in New Jersey in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in New Jersey across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (68.5%)
Carpooled (10.6%)
Worked At Home (8.69%)

In 2020, 68.5% of workers in Mercer County, NJ drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.6%) and those who worked at home (8.69%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mercer County, NJ have a longer commute time (28.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 5.74% of the workforce in Mercer County, NJ have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mercer County, NJ compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mercer County, NJ distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mercer County, NJ have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 18.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.102%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mercer County, NJ (39.1k out of 352k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mercer County, NJ is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 12.7% of the children was living in poverty in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 375 in Mercer County, NJ. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 74 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

91.8% of the population of Mercer County, NJ has health coverage, with 56.7% on employee plans, 14.7% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 9.14% on non-group plans, and 0.399% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in New Jersey was $8,859 in 2014. This is a 4.91% increase from the previous year ($8,444).

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, NJ see 998 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.1% decrease from the previous year (999 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1185 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 280 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

998 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mercer County, NJ

Primary care physicians in Mercer County, NJ see an average of 998 patients per year. This represents a 0.1% decrease from the previous year (999 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mercer County, NJ in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.5% under 18 years, 21.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 15% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.22%

Uninsured

56.7%

Employer Coverage

14.7%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

9.14%

Non-Group

0.399%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mercer County, NJ declined by 13% from 9.45% to 8.22%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mercer County, NJ changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42 in Mercer County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer County, NJ.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 30.8% in Mercer County, NJ.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mercer County, NJ.

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