The Town FilesAvenel, New Jersey
Community in Middlesex County · population 16,920 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $401,000
- Household income
- $101,670
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 39.6
Avenel is a community of 16,920 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $401,000, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of New Jersey towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 75% of New Jersey towns.
How Avenel ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Avenel is worth $401,000, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $101,670, which is more affordable than 46% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,906 a month. 52.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Avenel | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $401,000 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,906 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $101,670 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 52.3% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Avenel
| People | Avenel | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.8% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Avenel
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.1°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.3 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Avenel since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 8, 2007 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 430,555 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,400 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Avenel itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Avenel
4 public schools with 1,397 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avenel Middle School | 6-8 | 559 | 7.4 |
| Woodbine Avenue Elementary School | K-5 | 421 | 12.8 |
| Avenel Street Elementary School | K-5 | 417 | 14.9 |
| ADULT DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT CENTER | Other | — | — |
Towns near Avenel
- Rahway, NJ1.6 mi · 29,556 people · home $386,400
- Port Reading, NJ1.8 mi · 3,921 people · home $435,600
- Woodbridge, NJ1.9 mi · 103,639 people · home $433,000
- Colonia, NJ2.1 mi · 18,609 people · home $493,100
- Carteret, NJ2.3 mi · 25,326 people · home $405,800
- Woodbridge, NJ2.3 mi · 19,839 people · home $390,000
- Iselin, NJ2.5 mi · 20,088 people · home $426,800
- Sewaren, NJ2.6 mi · 2,885 people · home $429,200
Avenel questions
Is Avenel, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Avenel scores better for retirees than 8% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 12%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Avenel?
The median owner-occupied home in Avenel is valued at $401,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,670, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,906 a month.
What is the weather like in Avenel?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 25.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.3 inches of snow.
Does Avenel get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Avenel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 8, 2007. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)