Living in Plainfield, NJ

Explore Plainfield and see how it fits the life you want to build.

55,236 Population Union County County City Place Type New Jersey State OrdinancesLocal Rules
Overall Match6.3 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Plainfield at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population55,236
Median Household Income$85,908
Median Home Value$410,800
Median Gross Rent$1,767
Median Age32.4
Average Household Size3.4
Unemployment8.9%
Work From Home6.8%
Homeownership44.8%
Housing Vacancy4.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Plainfield is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Unemployment is elevated enough that job location and industry-specific opportunities deserve closer review.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Plainfield Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Plainfield →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Plainfield and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value2.9 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment2.5 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.1 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly3.0 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength4.3 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Plainfield

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$410,800
Median Gross Rent$1,767
Homeownership44.8%
Housing Vacancy4.8%
Housing Value5.8/10
Housing Stability6.2/10

Home values are moderately high relative to local household income, making neighborhood-level price differences important for buyers. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Plainfield, NJ

Median Household Income$85,908
Unemployment8.9%
Work From Home6.8%
Employment5.0/10
Remote Work Friendly6.0/10
Income Strength8.6/10

The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Plainfield and how households are structured

Population55,236
Median Age32.4
Average Household Size3.4

Plainfield is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Plainfield

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Plainfield point to hot summers, winters with regular freezing conditions, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and a meaningful winter snowfall season.

Average Summer High88.1°F
Average Winter Low23.8°F
Annual Rainfall48.7 in.
Annual Snowfall21.4 in.

Seasonal Life in Plainfield

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

Plainfield is located in Union County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Union County.

County Intelligence

Plainfield & Union County

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Plainfield is located in Union County, New Jersey.

NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Plainfield.

Current NarrowTheList data for Plainfield shows a population of about 55,236. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Union County
How NarrowTheList uses it

County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Plainfield.

For someone considering a move to Plainfield, the available data currently points to employment conditions that make job-specific research important. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.

North Plainfield, NJ 1.3 miles away Watchung, NJ 2.2 miles away Fanwood, NJ 2.4 miles away South Plainfield, NJ 2.8 miles away Dunellen, NJ 3.1 miles away Westfield, NJ 4.5 miles away Middlesex, NJ 5.2 miles away Mountainside, NJ 5.4 miles away Garwood, NJ 5.5 miles away Metuchen, NJ 5.8 miles away New Providence, NJ 5.8 miles away Rahway, NJ 7.1 miles away