HomeNew JerseyMiddlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey: commercial real estate data.
Middlesex County, New Jersey has a population of 871,290 across 309 square miles, up 3.1 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $86.70 bn in 2024, 22,314 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 1,143 7(a) approvals worth $571.7 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Middlesex County
How many people live in Middlesex County
- Population871,290
- Households307,782
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$111,549
- Median age39.5
- Median gross rent$1,871 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$462,900
- Home value to household income4.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher45.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree19.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over601,905
- Population under 18187,080
- Share under 1821.5 percent
- Population 65 and over140,558
- Share 65 and over16.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64543,652
- Civilian labor force474,946
- Unemployment rate6.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.4 percent
- Rank by population among New Jersey counties2nd of 21
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents67th
Middlesex County is the 2nd largest of 21 New Jersey counties by population. A median home costs 4.1 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.5 percent against 16.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Middlesex County
Is Middlesex County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.12 percent
- Census 2020 base population863,201
- Births, 20248,466
- Deaths, 20246,030
- Natural change, 20242,436
- Net domestic migration, 2024-6,419
- Net international migration, 202417,922
- Total net migration, 202411,503
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-25,558
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents841st
The county has grown 3.12 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Middlesex County
Where people moving to Middlesex County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving22,237
- People arriving, from those returns38,525
- Adjusted gross income arriving$2.01 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$90,589
- Largest single originMiddlesex County Non-migrants (333,939 households)
- Largest single destination (333,939 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County Non-migrants | 333,939 | 674,196 | $36.09 bn |
| Union County | 2,693 | 4,802 | $206.9 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,185 | 3,623 | $165.8 m |
| Somerset County | 1,875 | 3,225 | $230.1 m |
| Hudson County | 1,733 | 3,413 | $192.2 m |
| Monmouth County | 1,634 | 2,590 | $147.8 m |
| Kings County | 1,179 | 2,263 | $100.7 m |
| Essex County | 1,176 | 2,099 | $76.7 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Middlesex County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Middlesex County
What the Middlesex County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$86.70 bn
- County GDP, 2023$83.13 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.3 percent
- GDP change over five years32.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among New Jersey counties2nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents62nd
- GDP per resident$99,513
Output grew 4.3 percent in the latest year and 32.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Middlesex County
Who employs people in Middlesex County
- Covered employment, annual average430,555
- Establishments reporting25,382
- Average annual pay$82,400
- Average weekly wage$1,585
- Sector 62, employment57,785
- Sector 62, average annual pay$65,692
- Sector 48-49, employment49,945
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$57,723
- Sector 54, employment40,554
- Sector 54, average annual pay$138,687
- Sector 44-45, employment37,013
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$45,485
- Sector 56, employment36,294
- Sector 31-33, employment30,859
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 57,785 | 5,039 | $65,692 |
| Sector 48-49 | 49,945 | 1,304 | $57,723 |
| Sector 54 | 40,554 | 3,801 | $138,687 |
| Sector 44-45 | 37,013 | 2,280 | $45,485 |
| Sector 56 | 36,294 | 1,452 | $59,294 |
| Sector 31-33 | 30,859 | 823 | $98,523 |
| Sector 42 | 29,544 | 1,504 | $91,117 |
| Sector 72 | 24,122 | 1,752 | $30,270 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 57,785 jobs, 13.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Middlesex County
What businesses operate in Middlesex County
- Establishments, all industries22,314
- Employment at those establishments434,143
- Annual payroll$33.67 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Middlesex County
What is being built in Middlesex County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,792
- Declared construction value permitted$338.3 m
- Single family units authorised677
- Multifamily units authorised1,115
- Multifamily share of units62.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$188,761
- Units authorised per 1,000 households5.8
Multifamily is 62.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Middlesex County
How much SBA lending happens in Middlesex County
- 7(a) approvals recorded1,143
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$571.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$500,155
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,450,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)13,223
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active106
- Distinct industries receiving approvals263
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms144
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter944
- Franchise loans140
- Franchise share of approvals12.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (60)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (249)
- 504 approvals recorded185
- 504 gross approval dollars$301.6 m
- Average 504 approval$1,630,503
- Median 504 approval$1,152,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval16.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.0
- Most active CDCTrenton Business Assistance Corporation (105)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals86.1 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$873.3 m
The average approval of $500,155 sits well above the median of $200,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 12.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded177
- Paid in full151
- Charged off26
- Charge off rate on resolved loans14.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full151
- Status: Exempt from disclosure710
- Status: Cancelled186
- Status: Charged off26
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed70
Of the 177 loans that have reached a final outcome, 14.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
Which parts of Middlesex County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending55
- EDISON, approvals144
- East Brunswick, approvals106
- PISCATAWAY, approvals72
- NORTH BRUNSWICK, approvals71
- Old Bridge, approvals60
- PERTH AMBOY, approvals52
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| EDISON | 144 | $79,454,300 |
| East Brunswick | 106 | $43,931,500 |
| PISCATAWAY | 72 | $50,275,800 |
| NORTH BRUNSWICK | 71 | $54,941,900 |
| Old Bridge | 60 | $20,245,700 |
| PERTH AMBOY | 52 | $28,133,900 |
| NEW BRUNSWICK | 49 | $25,498,600 |
| SOUTH PLAINFIELD | 49 | $23,989,500 |
EDISON accounts for 144 approvals against 106 in East Brunswick. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Middlesex County
How big is Middlesex County
- Land area309 sq mi
- Rank by land area among New Jersey counties12th of 21
- Width, east to west21.7 mi
- Height, north to south24.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land2,820
- Establishments per square mile72.21
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Middlesex County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Middlesex County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population871,290
- Households307,782
- Average household size2.83
- Median household income$111,549
- Median age39.5
Common questions
Middlesex County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Middlesex County, New Jersey?
871,290, in 307,782 households, ranking 2nd of 21 New Jersey counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Middlesex County growing?
The population has grown 3.12 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 8,466 births against 6,030 deaths, with net migration of 11,503. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Middlesex County?
$111,549. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $462,900, which is 4.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,871 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Middlesex County?
22,314 establishments, employing 434,143 people with an annual payroll of $33.67 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Middlesex County?
Average annual pay is $82,400, or $1,585 a week, across 430,555 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Middlesex County?
1,143 7(a) approvals totalling $571.7 m since FY2020, across 106 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 185 504 approvals worth $301.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Middlesex County get paid back?
Of the 177 loans that have reached a final outcome, 151 were paid in full and 26 charged off, a charge off rate of 14.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Middlesex County?
1,792 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $338.3 m. Multifamily was 62.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Middlesex County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Middlesex County come from?
The largest single origin is Middlesex County Non-migrants, with 333,939 households. Arriving households report an average income of $90,589 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Middlesex County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Middlesex County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.