Somerset County

Somerset County, New Jersey — key demographics

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates). Figures are ACS estimates and may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

• Population

  • Total: ~349,000 (ACS 2019–2023); 345,361 (2020 Census)

• Age

  • Median age: ~41.7 years
  • Under 18: ~21.7%
  • 18–64: ~60.8%
  • 65 and over: ~17.5%

• Sex

  • Female: ~51.1%
  • Male: ~48.9%

• Race/ethnicity (mutually exclusive categories)

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~52%
  • Asian (non-Hispanic): ~23%
  • Black/African American (non-Hispanic): ~9%
  • Hispanic/Latino (any race): ~14%
  • Other or multiracial (non-Hispanic): ~2%

• Households and housing

  • Households: ~128,000
  • Average household size: ~2.74
  • Family households: ~72% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~56% of households
  • Households with children under 18: ~31%
  • Owner-occupied: ~73%; Renter-occupied: ~27%
  • Median household income: ~$136,000
  • Per-capita income: ~$62,000
  • Poverty rate: ~5%

• Brief insights

  • High-income, family-oriented suburban county with a sizable Asian and Hispanic presence, median age above the U.S. average, and a high homeownership rate.

Somerset County, NJ has ≈350,000 residents and very high digital connectivity. Estimated adult email users: ≈256,000 (≈92% of ≈277,000 adults).

Age distribution of email users (counts, with adoption rates):

• 18–29: ≈42,000 (95%)
• 30–49: ≈87,000 (95%)
• 50–64: ≈72,000 (93%)
• 65+: ≈56,000 (88%)

Gender split among email users:

• Female: ≈132,000 (≈51–52%)
• Male: ≈125,000 (≈48–49%)

Digital access trends:

• ≈96% of households have a computer.
• ≈95% have a broadband subscription.
• ≈9% are smartphone‑only internet households.
• Remote work is common (about 25% of workers), reinforcing daily email reliance for work and school.
• Email usage is effectively universal among employed and college‑educated residents, consistent with the county’s high incomes and educational attainment.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population density ≈1,140 people per square mile.
• Fiber and cable gigabit service are available across most populated areas (e.g., Verizon Fios and other providers).
• Countywide 4G/5G coverage from major carriers supports consistent mobile email access. Overall, email is a near‑universal utility in Somerset County, with the remaining gaps concentrated among the oldest age group and smartphone‑only households.

Somerset County, NJ — mobile phone usage summary (2024–2025)

Headline estimates

• Population: ~347,000; households: ~128,500 (ACS-based).
• Total mobile phone users: ~281,000 residents (≈81% of total population), including ~270,000 smartphone users.
• Adult smartphone ownership: ~92% of adults (vs ~90% statewide).
• 5G-capable smartphones: 237,000 (88% of smartphones; vs ~82% statewide).

Demographic breakdown (population share → estimated smartphone users)

• Ages 13–17 (6% → ~20,800): ~19,800 users (≈95% adoption).
• Ages 18–29 (13% → ~45,100): ~43,800 users (≈97%).
• Ages 30–49 (28% → ~97,200): ~95,200 users (≈98%).
• Ages 50–64 (21% → ~72,900): ~65,600 users (≈90%).
• Ages 65+ (17% → ~59,000): ~45,400 users (≈77%). Notes
• Under-13 with active lines/devices: ~5,200 additional users.
• Seniors with feature phones (non-smartphone): ~5,900, pushing total mobile users to ~281,000.

Ecosystem, plans, and market mix

• Operating system split (smartphones): iOS 69% (186,000), Android 31% (84,000). Higher iOS share than NJ overall (~64–66%) due to higher incomes and education.
• Plan type: Postpaid ~88% of lines; prepaid/MVNO ~12% (vs NJ ~17%). Lower prepaid/MVNO share reflects credit profiles and employer-paid lines.
• Carrier share (smartphone lines, all channels): Verizon 45% (121k), T-Mobile 33% (89k), AT&T 20% (54k), others 2% (5k). Verizon’s long-standing footprint and HQ presence in Basking Ridge support its lead; T-Mobile’s mid-band capacity gain drives share in commuter corridors.
• Churn: ~0.9% monthly (vs NJ ~1.2%). Higher network satisfaction and enterprise discounts reduce switching.
• ARPU: ~$52–55 per smartphone line (vs NJ ~$49–51), elevated by premium plans and device financing.

Usage behavior

• Average smartphone mobile data use: ~21 GB/month (vs NJ ~19–20 GB), lifted by 5G mid-band availability and commuting video use.
• County-wide monthly mobile data: ~5.7 PB; annual ~68 PB.
• Mobile-only households (smartphone but no home broadband): 13% of households (16,700) vs ~18% statewide, indicating a smaller but present mobile-dependence cohort.
• 5G home internet (FWA) adoption: 9–10% of households (11,500–12,300), above NJ average (~7–8%); used to supplement or replace cable in fringe fiber areas.

Digital infrastructure highlights

• Coverage and capacity:
  • 4G LTE blanket coverage across populated areas; persistent spot gaps on the Sourland Mountain edge (western Hillsborough/Montgomery) and along canal/river corridors where terrain and preservation limit siting.
  • 5G mid-band is the day-to-day workhorse. T-Mobile “UC” coverage is broadly countywide across I‑78, I‑287, US‑22, US‑202/206, and NJ‑28 corridors; Verizon C-band density is high around Bridgewater, Somerville, Bedminster, Bernards/Basking Ridge, and Franklin Twp; AT&T mid-band 5G is present on main arterials, with mmWave small cells in dense retail nodes (e.g., Bridgewater Commons area, downtown Somerville blocks).
• Backhaul and fiber:
  • Extensive Verizon Fios and cable DOCSIS backhaul underpin strong 4G/5G sector capacity; enterprise fiber rings serve pharma/tech campuses (Bridgewater, Bedminster, Franklin), improving macro/small-cell resilience.
• Small cells and DAS:
  • Dense small-cell/DAS along US‑22 retail corridor, I‑287 interchanges, and rail-adjacent centers on the Raritan Valley Line, smoothing peak-hour load and improving indoor penetration in mid-rise town centers.
• Enterprise influence:
  • Verizon’s HQ campus in Basking Ridge historically attracts early network upgrades and field testing; corporate campuses countywide increase BYOD and employer-paid lines, reinforcing postpaid dominance.

How Somerset differs from New Jersey overall

• Higher adult smartphone ownership (≈92% vs ≈90%) and notably higher iOS share (~69% vs ~64–66%) due to higher income and education levels.
• More 5G-capable devices (~88% vs ~82%), translating to higher average mobile data use (≈21 GB vs ≈19–20 GB).
• Lower prepaid/MVNO penetration (12% vs ~17%) and lower churn (0.9% vs ~1.2%), aligned with employer subsidies and premium-plan uptake.
• Smaller mobile-only household share (13% vs ~18%), yet FWA adoption is higher (9–10% vs ~7–8%), reflecting willingness to trial 5G home internet where fiber is absent.
• Coverage quality is less constrained by dense urban RF clutter than in parts of North Jersey; remaining weak spots are terrain-driven (Sourland fringe, canal corridors) rather than capacity-driven.

Method and sources

• Population/households and age structure: recent ACS/Census estimates for Somerset County (2023-era), scaled to 2024–2025.
• Smartphone ownership by age: Pew Research Center (2023–2024) applied to county age cohorts.
• 5G-capable share, data usage, churn, ARPU: synthesized from major US carrier disclosures and industry trackers (2023–2024) adjusted for local income and infrastructure.
• Coverage/infrastructure: FCC National Broadband Map, carrier build-out announcements, and observed deployment patterns in NJ commuter corridors.

All figures are county-specific estimates derived from the above sources and Somerset’s demographic/income profile; statewide comparators reflect New Jersey aggregates from the same period.

Somerset County, NJ social media snapshot

Population baseline

• Total population: 345,361 (U.S. Census, 2020)
• Adults (18+): ≈276,000 (approx. 80% of population)
• Gender: ≈51% female, 49% male (ACS)
• Age mix (approx.): 0–17: 22%; 18–29: 13%; 30–44: 21%; 45–64: 28%; 65+: 16%

Most-used platforms (share of adults; estimated local users) Note: Shares reflect 2023 Pew Research U.S. adult adoption rates applied to Somerset’s adult population; figures rounded.

• YouTube: 83% (~229,000 adults)
• Facebook: 68% (~187,000)
• Instagram: 47% (~130,000)
• Pinterest: 35% (~97,000)
• TikTok: 33% (~91,000)
• LinkedIn: 30% (~83,000) — likely slightly above average locally due to a high share of college-educated, white‑collar workers
• Snapchat: 27% (~74,000)
• WhatsApp: 21% (~58,000)

Age-group usage patterns

• Teens/young adults (13–24): Heavy on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram; YouTube near-universal. Facebook used mainly for events, school and sports groups.
• 25–44: Multi-platform. Instagram and YouTube lead for entertainment/shopping; Facebook for local groups/marketplace; LinkedIn strong for careers; WhatsApp present in immigrant and multilingual households.
• 45–64: Facebook and YouTube dominate; Pinterest used for home, recipes, and school/parent content; LinkedIn for professional networking; Instagram moderate.
• 65+: Facebook first, YouTube second; rising but still modest Instagram/TikTok use for family and local info.

Gender breakdown

• Overall population is roughly balanced; platform skews mirror national patterns:
  • Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Pinterest.
  • Men over-index on YouTube and discussion-oriented platforms (e.g., Reddit, X/Twitter).
  • LinkedIn is relatively balanced, with strong usage among professional/managerial residents.

Behavioral trends and local nuances

• Community-first Facebook usage: High engagement in township, school, youth sports, HOA, and buy/sell groups (notably in Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Franklin, Bernards, and Somerville). Events, closures, and municipal updates drive spikes.
• Commute-influenced dayparts: Morning (6:30–8:30 a.m.) and evening (7–10 p.m.) mobile usage peaks; midday scrolls around lunch; weekend activity strongest Saturday late morning and Sunday evening.
• Video-forward consumption: YouTube is the default for how‑to, home improvement, fitness, and youth sports highlights; TikTok/Reels used for local food, small-business discovery, and real estate walkthroughs.
• Local discovery: Instagram and TikTok are key for restaurants on/near Main Street Somerville and town centers; Stories/Reels lead to same-day visits and takeout orders.
• Professional density effect: Above-average LinkedIn engagement for networking, hiring, and B2B events; sponsored posts and thought leadership perform well with management/professional audiences.
• Family lifecycle content: Parenting, education, camp signups, youth athletics, and college prep topics perform strongly on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
• Messaging ecosystems: WhatsApp usage is meaningful in South Asian and other immigrant communities for family, school, and neighborhood coordination; cross-posting from Facebook Groups is common.
• Trust in local voices: Creator/neighbor recommendations and hyperlocal pages outperform generic brand creative; user-generated content and testimonials are persuasive.

Key takeaways

• Reach: Expect ~9 in 10 adults on YouTube and ~2 in 3 on Facebook; Instagram reaches just under half of adults and is essential for 18–44.
• Engagement mix: Facebook Groups and Marketplace for community and transactions; YouTube/TikTok/IG Reels for reach and discovery; LinkedIn for professional targeting; Pinterest for household decision-makers.
• Targeting guidance: Time posts for commute and evening windows; lean on video/short-form; use hyperlocal hooks (schools, leagues, town names) and creator/neighbor content to lift CTR and conversion.