Median Income
$110,859
household / year
Median Home Value
$381,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,962
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Somerset, NJ a Good Place to Live?

Somerset is a small city of 24,246 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $110,859 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Somerset stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Somerset is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Somerset city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 112.5

Somerset's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Somerset costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Somerset, NJ National Avg
Median Home Value $381,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,962 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 74.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $110,859 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Somerset's violent crime rate is 20.4 per 100,000 residents — 95% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
20.4 /100k
Property Crime
290.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Somerset is served primarily by Franklin Township Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Somerset, NJ National Avg
School District Franklin Township Public School District —
Elementary Schools 7 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 59.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Somerset sees average highs of 40.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July, with 49.1 inches of annual precipitation and 29.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricSomerset, NJ
Average High — January40.3°F
Average High — July86.5°F
Annual Precipitation49.1"
Annual Snowfall29.0"

Demographics

MetricSomerset, NJNational Avg
Population24,246—
Median Age41.538.9
Unemployment Rate5.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time32.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)39.5%59.3%
Black or African American31.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.0%18.9%
Asian21.0%6.3%
Under 1818.4%22.2%
65 and over17.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Clyde, NJ 2 mi East Franklin, NJ 2 mi Voorhees, NJ 2 mi Rutgers University-Busch Campus, NJ 2 mi Middlebush, NJ 2 mi

Somerset vs Other Cities

Somerset, NJ vs Clyde, NJ Somerset, NJ vs East Franklin, NJ Somerset, NJ vs Voorhees, NJ Somerset, NJ vs Rutgers University-Busch Campus, NJ Somerset, NJ vs Middlebush, NJ

Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Somerset roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $381,500 and median rent is $1,962/month.
Somerset's violent crime rate is 20.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 290.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Somerset are operated by Franklin Township Public School District. The district has 7 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1. 59.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Somerset, NJ has a population of 24,246, a median household income of $110,859, and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Somerset averages 40.3°F in January and 86.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 49.1 inches with about 29.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Somerset, New Jersey is 24,246 with a median age of 41.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Somerset: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $381,500, median household income $110,859, crime index 9 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Somerset side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.