New Jersey

Somerset

345,361
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Somerset

Somerset, New Jersey, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 12,296. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 345,361.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 8 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Basking Ridge (Charles Lee Captured), Capture of General Charles Lee, Battle of Bound Brook (Second), and 87 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020345,361
2010323,444
2000297,490
1990240,279
1980203,129
1970198,372
1960143,913
195099,052
194074,390
193065,132
192047,991
191038,820
190032,948
189028,311
188027,162
187023,510
186022,057
185019,692
184017,455
183017,689
182016,506
181014,725
180012,815
179012,296
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Somerset

Military engagements that took place in Somerset, New Jersey.

Battle of Basking Ridge (Charles Lee Captured)
1776
Capture of General Charles Lee
1776
Battle of Bound Brook (Second)
1777
Battle of Middlebrook
1777
Battle of Millstone (Drake's Farm)
1777
Battle of Bound Brook (New Jersey)
1777
Battle of Millstone (Van Nest's Mill)
1777
Action at Bound Brook
1777

Historic places in Somerset

National Register of Historic Places listings in Somerset, New Jersey.

Far Hills Station
Far Hills
Gladstone Station
Gladstone
Bernardsville Station
Bernardsville
Frelinghuysen, Gen. John, House
Raritan
Lyons Station
Lyons
Millstone Historic District
Millstone
Old Stone Arch Bridge
Bound Brook Borough, Middlesex
Raritan Bridge
Raritan
Pluckemin Village Historic District
Bedminster
Rockingham
Franklin Township
Van Veghten House
Somerville
Wallace House
Somerville
Washington Park Historic District
North Plainfield
Bound Brook Station
Bound Brook
Middlebrook Encampment Site
Bound Brook
North Branch Historic District
North Branch
Rocky Hill Historic District
Rocky Hill
Basking Ridge Classical School
Basking Ridge
Six Mile Run Historic District
Franklin Park
Relief Home Company No. 2 Engine House
Raritan Borough
Meadows, The
Franklin
Reynolds-Scherman House
Bernardsville
Staats House
South Bound Brook Borough
Van Horne House
Bridgewater Township
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Other counties in New Jersey

Explore census history and historic records for more New Jersey counties.

MonmouthMorrisOceanPassaicSalemSussexUnionWarrenAtlanticBergenBurlingtonCamdenCape MayCumberlandEssexGloucesterHudsonHunterdonMercerMiddlesex
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Everything a full report reveals about Somerset County, New Jersey

This page charts the census history of Somerset County, New Jersey. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Somerset

When does Somerset first appear in the US census?
Somerset, New Jersey first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 12,296.
What is the population of Somerset?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Somerset had a recorded population of 345,361.
Were any battles fought in Somerset?
8 documented military engagements took place in Somerset, including Battle of Basking Ridge (Charles Lee Captured), Capture of General Charles Lee, Battle of Bound Brook (Second).
How many historic places are in Somerset?
87 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Somerset, New Jersey.
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