The Town FilesNew Brunswick, New Jersey
City in Middlesex County · population 55,266 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $353,800
- Household income
- $65,810
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 24.8
New Brunswick is a city of 55,266 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $353,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of New Jersey towns, better for cycling than 95% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 94% of New Jersey towns.
How New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick is worth $353,800, below the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $65,810, which is more affordable than 13% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,814 a month. 21.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Brunswick | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $353,800 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,814 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $65,810 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 21.4% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in New Brunswick
| People | New Brunswick | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.4% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 32.0% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 1.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 39.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 94.6% |
Weather in New Brunswick
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Brunswick since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 31, 1992 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 27, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 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 New Brunswick itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in New Brunswick
14 public schools with 9,021 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick High School | 9-12 | 2,504 | 14.6 |
| New Brunswick Middle School | 6-8 | 1,139 | 11.4 |
| Blanquita B. Valenti Community School | K-8 | 760 | 11.3 |
| A Chester Redshaw School | PK-5 | 736 | 11.3 |
| Paul Robeson Community School for the Arts | PK-8 | 645 | 9.2 |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | K-5 | 620 | 9.5 |
| Mckinley Community School | PK-8 | 574 | 9.3 |
| Lord Stirling Elementary School | PK-5 | 470 | 9.8 |
| Greater Brunswick Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 400 | 17.4 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | K-5 | 392 | 7.7 |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary School | PK-8 | 355 | 11.1 |
| Livingston Elementary School | K-5 | 346 | 10.8 |
Towns near New Brunswick
- Highland Park, NJ1.3 mi · 15,072 people · home $471,700
- East Franklin, NJ1.5 mi · 9,788 people · home $385,900
- Rutgers University-Livingston Campus, NJ2.1 mi · 3,545 people · home —
- Milltown, NJ2.6 mi · 7,037 people · home $458,800
- Rutgers University-Busch Campus, NJ2.6 mi · 4,586 people · home —
- North Brunswick, NJ3.1 mi · 43,905 people · home $431,500
- Somerset, NJ3.3 mi · 22,968 people · home $438,800
- Piscataway, NJ4.2 mi · 60,804 people · home $449,900
New Brunswick questions
Is New Brunswick, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Brunswick scores better for retirees than 0% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 2%. 6.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.8).
How much does a house cost in New Brunswick?
The median owner-occupied home in New Brunswick is valued at $353,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,810, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,814 a month.
What is the weather like in New Brunswick?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 29.0 inches of snow.
Does New Brunswick get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Brunswick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 31, 1992. 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)