Dr. R. Moldenke's "Castle Elsinore", 1910
Watchung’s story
127 years in pictures
Census counts: 906 in 1930, 6,449 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 8 maps from 1888 on.
- 1899Watchung is settled
Population
6,583
2025 Census estimate · +2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$1.07M
+5% in a year
Household income
$174K
median
Median age
48.1
years
Jobs based here
4,784
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#272 of 466 in NJ
What should you know before moving to Watchung?
Watchung's standout: it is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades B−, 272nd of 466 graded towns in New Jersey. The median household earns $174K and its schools rank ahead of 78% of New Jersey towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $1.1 million for a typical one and 10.8 times the New York metro’s $99K median household income. Watchung’s median rent is $2,738 a month, above both the New Jersey town median ($1,778 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Only 26 of New Jersey’s 359 towns score lower on safety. Watchung is more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns.
What makes Watchung stand out
Where Watchung beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here4,784
Residents who work2,542
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
9.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A growing town
Watchung has grown 14% since 2010
5,801 counted in 2010 and 6,449 in 2020; an estimated 6,583 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Watchung grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Jersey), ordered by how far Watchung is from typical.
HealthOverlook Medical Center 6.4 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingD−Open →Jobs & income4,784 jobs based hereAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 4.5% of households have no carAOpen →SafetyMore crime per resident than 84% of U.S. townsC−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landBOpen →History5 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life5.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 48.1; 64% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 645 attractions →Madison Square Garden and 535 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Watchung. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw26 mi GardenCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw22 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw25 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw27 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year
Big draw23 mi MuseumNational September 11 Memorial & MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Watchung: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Watchung, and how to reach them.
WaterNew Jersey American WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
SchoolsWatchung Borough School DistrictWatchung Hills Region School District2 districts serve Watchung; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn New Jersey you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSomerset County ClerkSomerset County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code0706907069 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Watchung.
Watchung draws workers from Plainfield and beyond, but it reports more crime than North Plainfield and its other graded neighbors and has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New Jersey.
HousingCost of living grade D−
Watchung earns a D− for cost of living
At 10.8 years of the New York metro’s $99K median household income, the typical home (about $1.07M) costs more against local pay than in 91% of New Jersey towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living.
Typical home values rose 5% in the year to September 2026. 84% of households own their home in Watchung.
$1.07MZillow home value
Typical home value
Watchung$1.07M
New Jersey$575K
+5%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsA−
Watchung earns an A− for schools
Its public schools are run by the Watchung Borough School District. Its two schools are below.
78%of NJ districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayberry SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 391 | A− |
| Valley View SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 276 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NJ on state tests and graduation
HealthA+
Watchung earns an A+ for health
Its widest gap with New Jersey is food insecurity: 7% of its 5,152 adults worry about having enough food, against 14.3% statewide. Against the 1,567 U.S. towns with household incomes like Watchung’s, it is healthier than 80%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
12% of Watchung adults report frequent mental distress. Watchung beats the New Jersey average on 18 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 14% of Watchung adults have been diagnosed with depression.
97%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Watchung | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 6.9% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. New Jersey
18 better13 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Watchung | NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7% | 14.3% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.7% | 9.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 7.5% |
Overlook Medical Center
6.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
83rd
percentile among NJ towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most working residents commute out of Watchung
4,784 jobs are based in Watchung, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 27.1% of workers work from home, against 16.8% across New Jersey.
Most working residents leave Watchung for work: only 3% work in town. Watchung’s average trip to work is 34 minutes. The top destinations are New York (7%), Warren Township (3%) and Edison Township (3%).
3%work in town
| Watchung | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $174,000 | $113,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 1.2% | 6.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Watchung3%
New York7%
Warren Township3%
Edison Township3%
Newark3%
11 mi
median commute distance
4,784
jobs based in Watchung
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyC−
Property crime in Watchung is higher than in most of New Jersey or the rest of the country
Each of the 5 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from North Plainfield (C+) to Warren Township (A). Property crime runs at 36.8 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the New Jersey rate, most of it theft.
The property crime rate in Watchung is 36.8 per 1,000 residents. Watchung reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 84% report less.
16%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Watchung | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 36.8 per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Watchung0.6
New Jersey2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Watchung36.8
New Jersey12.7
U.S.15.5
16th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
7th
percentile among NJ towns
4
violent crimes reported in 2025
245
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Watchung faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 24 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Watchung.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
24
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Watchung has four seasons and pleasant summers
Watchung has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 22° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–42°
Spring40–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall45–66°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.1%conserved
| Watchung | New Jersey towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.1% | 11% | 4.3% |
3.1%
conserved · 119 of 3,846 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Watchung Reservation | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Watchung
20pages on Watchung
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 78% of NJ districts · 2 schoolsSafetyC−0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than NJ on 18 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD−$1.07M typical home · up 5% in a yearWork & commuteA$174K median household income · 4,784 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
17 within 15 miles of the center of Watchung
Yeshiva Gedolah Tiferes BoruchUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · North Plainfield1.6 mi$10,480 tuitionUCNJ Union College of Union County, New JerseyCommunity college · Public · Cranford6.4 mi$5,280 in-state tuitionRutgers University-New BrunswickUniversity or college · Public · New Brunswick10 mi$17,929 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Watchung residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Jersey.
A job hub
Every workday, about 4,704 people come to Watchung for work
Where Watchung’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
4,784jobs based in Watchung
3%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Watchung
5 notable people were born in Watchung.
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About Watchung
Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, US
Watchung () is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located approximately 29 miles (47 km) west of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,449, an increase of 648 (+11.2%) from the 2010 census count of 5,801, which in turn reflected an increase of 188 (+3.3%) from the 5,613 counted in the 2000 census. It is located within the Raritan Valley region. Watchung was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1926, from portions of North Plainfield Township (now Green Brook Township) based on the results of a referendum held on April 20, 1926. The name "Watchung" comes from the Lenni Lenape Nati…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1926
- Area
- 6.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 259 ft
- ZIP code
- 07069
- Area code
- 908
Watchung’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Watchung.
Berkeley Heights TownshipScotch Plains TownshipGreen Brook TownshipPlainfieldNorth PlainfieldWarren TownshipWatchung
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NJ rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watchung | #272 | B− | D− | C− | A− | A+ |
| Berkeley Heights Township | #38 | A+ | D | A | A− | A+ |
| Scotch Plains Township | #72 | A | D | A− | A− | A+ |
| Green Brook Township | #174 | A− | D | A− | B+ | B+ |
| Plainfield | #451 | D− | D | — | D− | C− |
| North Plainfield | #410 | D | D | C+ | C− | B− |
| Warren Township | #29 | A+ | D | A | A− | A+ |
Plainfield reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Watchung with a neighbor →
Questions about Watchung
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Watchung, NJ a good place to live?
Watchung grades B− overall, better than 53% of U.S. towns and #272 of 466 in New Jersey. It grades A+ for health, C− for safety and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Watchung, NJ expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.
What is Watchung, NJ known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Laura Prepon and Harold Norman Moldenke.