08536 Zip Code Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for the zip code 08536, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

08536 is a zip code in Middlesex County, New Jersey, which covers Plainsboro, with a total population of 20,523 people.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in the 08536 zip code. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in 08536.

The estimated population of people living in 08536 is 20,523, with a median age of 36.3.

We can look back at data from previous years to see how the population in the 08536 area has changed over the last 5 years.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
20,523
+6.54%
+1.40%
2020
19,264
 -2.17% -
2019
19,691
 -0.52% -
2018
19,793
 -2.2% -
2017
20,239
 - -

Population of 08536 by Race and Ethnicity

How much has the race and ethnicity of the population in the 08536 zip code changed? The US Census Bureau gives us a few defined types that the population is broken down into.

Let's look at the total numbers and also the change over the last 5 years.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
26.3%
30.3%
 -13.20%
Black/African American
6.2%
6.2%
 0.00%
Native
0.7%
1%
 -30.00%
Hispanic
4%
3.1%
 +29.03%
Asian
60.7%
56.5%
 +7.43%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
1.7%
 +17.65%
Other
0.1%
1.3%
 -92.31%

This data can be very important for anybody studying the 08536 zip for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of 08536 by Age and Gender

We can also monitor the change of the age and gender in the 08536 zip code to track track trends in the population over time.

We can see how the population in 08536 has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 36.3 -0.27% 37.6 +1.62% 35 -2.23%
2020 36.4 +0.83% 37 +1.37% 35.8 +0.85%
2019 36.1 0% 36.5 +0.55% 35.5 -1.11%
2018 36.1 +2.27% 36.3 +4.31% 35.9 +0.28%
2017 35.3 - 34.8 - 35.8 -

The median age of the 08536 zip gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population in the 08536 area, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,569 -13.41% 1,444 -9.22% 1,340 1,276
10 to 19 1,168 +26.09% 1,342 -14.5% 1,496 1,129
20 to 29 1,147 -15.52% 1,333 +33.4% 964 1,800
30 to 39 1,914 -1.45% 1,788 +4.18% 1,877 1,861
40 to 49 1,614 +26.09% 1,796 -21.08% 2,050 1,437
50 to 59 1,410 +12.67% 1,437 -12.09% 1,578 1,263
60 to 69 811 +5.05% 796 -21.92% 819 607
70+ 365 6.98% 305 +92.45% 343 683

Median Household Income

The latest median household income for the 08536 zip code is $115,685.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less.

The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for 08536.

  • Under 25
    $61,903.00
  • 25 to 44
    $107,054.00
  • 45 to 64
    $172,598.00
  • 65 and over
    $87,510.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in the 08536 zip code, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in 08536, and then dividing that number by the total number of households.

This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of 08536 is currently $158,503.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

22.83% of households in 08536 are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of 08536 against other zip codes.

  • Less than $24,999
    4.35%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    9.21%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    10.26%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    16.07%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    24.45%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    12.83%
  • $200,000 or more
    22.83%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in 08536 is $62,635.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of 08536 by the total population of 08536.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people living in the 08536 area, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in 08536 to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    39.72%
  • Bachelor's degree
    46.62%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    3.38%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    9.72%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.56%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in 08536 that are over the age of 16.

Currently, the total population of the 08536 zip over the age of 16 is 16,036.

Of those people, a total of 72.40% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in 08536 is 68.40%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate. Here's how that breaks down for the 08536 zip code.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 754 12.50% 22.30%
20 to 24 years 886 65.90% 4.30%
25 to 29 years 1,878 75.40% 3.50%
30 to 34 years 1,740 79.40% 4.90%
35 to 44 years 3,753 80.50% 7.10%
45 to 54 years 3,374 91.20% 5.00%
55 to 59 years 1,199 89.20% 4.20%
60 to 64 years 789 83.80% 5.60%
65 to 74 years 1,236 24.10% 4.70%
75 years and over 427 0.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in 08536. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau (which we mentioned earlier in this article).

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 5,073 72.30% 6.10%
Black or African American 1,137 73.40% 1.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3 100.00% 0.00%
Asian 9,169 71.80% 4.90%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 93 83.90% 0.00%
Two or more races 561 76.80% 16.50%
Hispanic or Latino 682 78.30% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 4,857 71.80% 6.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations for people living in the 08536 area as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in 08536 is 10,975, with median earnings of $91,560.00.

Women in 08536 are earning approximately 59.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 10,975 $91,560.00
Male 6,579 $106,374.00
Female 4,396 $63,263.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings for 08536 even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 1,981 $142,426.00
Business and Financial 1,002 $87,976.00
Computer and Mathematical 2,604 $107,238.00
Architecture and Engineering 376 $104,167.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 526 $72,778.00
Community and Social Service 206 $58,958.00
Legal 76 $68,846.00
Educational and Library 720 $50,700.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 157 $43,466.00
Healthcare Practitioners 603 $79,707.00
Healthcare Support 112 $22,300.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 58 $108,971.00
Law Enforcement 74 $65,278.00
Food Preparation and Serving 95 $19,141.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 0 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 156 $12,500.00
Sales 940 $98,333.00
Office and Administrative Support 651 $53,580.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 119 $41,568.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 121 $41,597.00
Production 231 $77,863.00
Transportation and Material Moving 60 $41,667.00

Occupations by Gender

Now we can also look at the occupations by category for 08536 when it is broken down by male and female.

This lets us see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings for 08536.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 1,401 $182,292.00 580 $107,000.00
Business and Financial 597 $106,406.00 405 $63,711.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,838 $107,464.00 766 $106,806.00
Architecture and Engineering 350 $104,583.00 26 $97,000.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 266 $109,211.00 260 $62,500.00
Community and Social Service 67 $0.00 139 $43,583.00
Legal 32 $0.00 44 $53,393.00
Educational and Library 163 $58,942.00 557 $50,028.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 87 $79,464.00 70 $11,333.00
Healthcare Practitioners 150 $74,858.00 453 $83,098.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 112 $22,300.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 43 $0.00 15 $0.00
Law Enforcement 74 $65,278.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 52 $31,000.00 43 $6,691.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 83 $65,647.00 73 $10,265.00
Sales 653 $106,285.00 287 $30,082.00
Office and Administrative Support 272 $64,821.00 379 $49,028.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 119 $41,568.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 67 $48,839.00 54 $0.00
Production 129 $77,054.00 102 $83,198.00
Transportation and Material Moving 41 $51,477.00 19 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household is defined by the US Census Bureau as a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 8,168 households in 08536, with an average household size of 2.51 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 5,447 families living in the 08536 zip code with an average family size of 3.14 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each, that live in 08536:

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 4,737 135 575 2,721
Average Household Size 3.17 3.07 3.09 1.23
Total Families 4,737 135 575 0
Average Household Size 3.16 2.76 3.05 0

Poverty

Of the 5,447 families living in 08536, 3.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in 08536:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 8,684 housing units in 08536.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 8,168 94.06%
Vacant 516 5.94%

52.11% of the total 8,684 housing units in 08536 are rental units. This is approximately 4,525 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,636 are occupied by the owner - or 41.87% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in 08536 is $1,714.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in 08536 that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    7
  • Less than $500
    64
  • $500 to $999
    19
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,194
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    2,304
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    799
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    86
  • $3,000 or more
    59

Property Value

The median value of a property in 08536 is $564,800.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in 08536 that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    0
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    78
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    154
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    86
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    331
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    817
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    1,763
  • $1,000,000 or more
    407

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in 08536. The chart below shows the number of properties in 08536 that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    258
  • 1940 to 1949
    86
  • 1950 to 1959
    251
  • 1960 to 1969
    628
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,611
  • 1980 to 1989
    3,192
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,438
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,043
  • 2010 to 2013
    177
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in 08536 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    423
  • 1 vehicle available
    3,666
  • 2 vehicles available
    3,045
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,034

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in 08536 get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in 08536 that commute to work in a particular way.

37.6 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in 08536.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    39
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    596
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,282
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    772
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    886
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    803
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    698
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    298
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    359
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    607
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    956
  • 90 or more minutes
    1,105

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for 08536 in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

States in 08536

If you want to see how the population and demographics of 08536 compare to other zip codes in New Jersey, check out the list of all New Jersey zip codes below: