The Town FilesDunellen, New Jersey
Borough in Middlesex County · population 7,637 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $393,500
- Household income
- $86,967
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 42.5
Dunellen is a borough of 7,637 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $393,500, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks better transit than 99% of New Jersey towns, more of a college town than 96% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 95% of New Jersey towns.
How Dunellen 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 Dunellen is worth $393,500, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $86,967, which is more affordable than 27% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,835 a month. 61.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dunellen | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $393,500 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,835 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $86,967 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 61.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dunellen
| People | Dunellen | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Dunellen
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunellen since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 7, 1998 about 8.1 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 34 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
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 Dunellen itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Dunellen
3 public schools with 1,348 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| John P. Faber Elementary School | PK-5 | 617 | 10.6 |
| Dunellen High School | 9-12 | 400 | 11.8 |
| Lincoln Middle School | 6-8 | 331 | 13.2 |
Towns near Dunellen
- Green Brook, NJ1.3 mi · 7,281 people · home $538,500
- Middlesex, NJ2.0 mi · 14,636 people · home $446,400
- North Plainfield, NJ2.5 mi · 22,808 people · home $374,700
- South Plainfield, NJ2.9 mi · 24,338 people · home $470,900
- Piscataway, NJ3.1 mi · 60,804 people · home $449,900
- Plainfield, NJ3.1 mi · 54,586 people · home $410,800
- Watchung, NJ3.9 mi · 6,449 people · home $882,500
- Bound Brook, NJ4.1 mi · 11,988 people · home $397,100
Dunellen questions
Is Dunellen, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunellen scores better for retirees than 18% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 3%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Dunellen?
The median owner-occupied home in Dunellen is valued at $393,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,967, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,835 a month.
What is the weather like in Dunellen?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Dunellen get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunellen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 7, 1998. 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)