Somerset is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Somerset County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed January 13, 2013.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 19, 2015. As of the 2020 census, Somerset had a population of 22,968.
Somerset housed one of the first Marconi Wireless Stations in the United States.Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Somerset, N.J.; Diversity, Stability and Convenience", The New York Times, May 20, 2001. Accessed January 13, 2013.Staff. "Marconi Flash To Wales.; First Message Sent from New Wireless Station at New Brunswick", The New York Times, July 3, 1914. Accessed January 13, 2013. History New Brunswick Marconi Station was located at JFK Boulevard and Easton Avenue just a few minutes from the New Brunswick border. Today it is the site of Guglielmo Marconi Memorial Park. It was an early radio transmitter facility built in 1913 and operated by the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America. After the interruption of transatlantic telegraph cables by enemy action, the facility was confiscated by the United States Navy on April 7, 1917, to provide transatlantic communications during World War I. The New Brunswick Naval Radio Station was the principal wartime communication link between the United States and Europe, using the callsign NFF. President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech was transmitted from the site in 1918. After the war, ownership of the station, along with Marconi's other US assets, was transferred from the navy to RCA.William B. Brahms, Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History, FTPL; pp. 217-221. The antenna masts were demolished in 1952 to make room for what is now a small mall containing a Kmart, but the buildings on the other side of JFK Boulevard were spared. All but one of the brick buildings were demolished around 2004 to make way for a storage locker facility. The bricks and tiles were saved for use in any future restoration of the spared building, and the Marconi facility in Belmar, New Jersey.
During World War I, the original Marconi spark-gap transmitter was replaced with an Alexanderson alternator, the invention of the famous General Electric engineer, with an output power of 200 kilowatts and looking like an ordinary power station generator. Its frequency was around 17 kHz, which made its wavelength around 17,500 meters. The station used a huge antenna supported by eight tall steel masts, similar to the AT&T long wave telephone transmitter at RCA's Rocky Point, Long Island, transmitter facility.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 6.444 square miles (16.692 km2), including 6.327 square miles (16.388 km2) of land and 0.117 square miles (0.304 km2) of water (1.82%).US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
Climate The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Somerset has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Somerset, New Jersey
Demographics
Somerset first appeared as a census designated place in the 1980 U.S. census.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Somerset had a population of 22,968. The median age was 42.4 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.6 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 8,817 households in Somerset, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.4% were married-couple households, 16.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 9,228 housing units, of which 4.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 8,070 35.1% Black or African American 6,538 28.5% American Indian and Alaska Native 132 0.6% Asian 4,691 20.4% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 10 0.0% Some other race 1,553 6.8% Two or more races 1,974 8.6% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 3,349 14.6%
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 22,083 people, 8,594 households, and 5,552 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 8,883 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 47.04% (10,387) White, 28.88% (6,378) Black or African American, 0.23% (50) Native American, 17.59% (3,885) Asian, 0.01% (3) Pacific Islander, 2.98% (659) from other races, and 3.26% (721) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.47% (2,092) of the population.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Somerset CDP, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.
Of the 8,594 households, 27.7% had children under the age of 18; 51.1% were married couples living together; 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 29.0% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.14.
20.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.2 males.
2000 census At the 2000 United States censusU.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014. there were 23,040 people, 8,238 households and 5,799 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 8,424 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 43.94% White, 38.55% African American, 0.26% Native American, 8.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.04% from other races, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.00% of the population.DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 from the Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Somerset CDP, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.
There were 8,238 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.29.
24.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median household income was $65,831 and the median family income was $73,040. Males had a median income of $50,309 versus $36,162 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,798. About 4.9% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy SHI International and Catalent are headquartered in Somerset.
PIM Brands (Division of The Promotion In Motion Companies and Makers of Welch's Fruit Snacks) operates a manufacturing plant in Somerset.
Meda Pharmaceuticals' U.S. home office is located in Somerset.
Based on 2011 data from the United States Census Bureau, The Washington Post named Somerset County as having sixth-highest median household income of any county in the United States."Highest Income Counties in 2011", The Washington Post. Accessed December 5, 2023.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Somerset include: Carlton Agudosi (born 1994), wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFLNewman, Josh. "Rutgers' Agudosi embracing last chance to make impact", Asbury Park Press, August 24, 2016. Accessed December 10, 2017. "'This year is going to be big to prove what I can do,' said Agudosi, a Somerset native and 2012 graduate of Franklin High School." Anthony Bartholomay (1919–1975), mathematician who introduced molecular set theoryStaff. "Dr. Anthony Bartholomay Former Member of MCO Facility", Toledo Blade, March 25, 1975. Accessed May 14, 2016. Upendra J. Chivukula (born 1950), politician who represented the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, and served on the Franklin Township Council from 1997–2005, serving as its mayor in 2000 and its deputy mayor in 1998Assembly Member Upendra J. Chivukula, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 12, 2007. Margit Feldman (1929–2020), public speaker, educator, activist and Holocaust survivor"Documentary About Local Holocaust Survivor To Be Screened At George Street Playhouse", Raritan Valley Community College, February 15, 2017. Accessed April 21, 2020. "The public is invited to attend a free screening of the documentary, Margit: Not A23029, which focuses on the life of Holocaust survivor Margit Feldman of Somerset, February 28, at 7 p.m., at George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick." Krystyna Freda (born 1993), footballer who plays as a forward for Cypriot First Division club Apollon Ladies FCKrystyna Freda, Winthrop Eagles. Accessed October 25, 2020. "Hometown: Somerset, NJ; Prev School: Franklin H.S." Roy Hinson (born 1961), first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1983 who played for eight seasons in the NBAvia Associated Press. "N.J. natives haunt Nets", Courier News, March 27, 1986. Accessed June 15, 2021. "But last night, Edgar Jones, a Newark native, tapped in a missed shot by Roy Hinson, a Franklin Township product, with four seconds left to give the Cavaliers a 110-108 victory over the Nets before 10,278." Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu (born 1954), Sierra Leonean-American reverend, journalist and newspaper publisher who served as Minister Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United NationsO'Brien, Kathleen. "Ebola triggers caution in N.J.'s West African communities", Inside Jersey, October 7, 2014. Accessed November 10, 2018. "'It’s awkward,' said Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu, a United Nations representative for Sierra Leone who lives in Somerset." Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (born 2003), professional baseball infielder for the AthleticsPotter, PJ. "Former Rutgers, N.J. HS baseball star notches rare feat in strong MLB debut with A’s", NJ.com, June 30. 2026. Accessed June 30. 2026. "Joshua Kuroda-Grauer of Somerset was called up for his Major League Baseball debut on June 29 with the Athletics."