08879 ZIP Code — South Amboy, NJ
Middlesex County, New Jersey
ZIP code 08879 is located in South Amboy, New Jersey, within Middlesex County. It covers approximately 7.08 square miles and serves a population of 22,514 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 732.
About ZIP code 08879
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $355,600. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 59%.
Median household income is $93,243.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 36 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 31% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
22,514
population
7.08
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
08879 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 08879
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 08879. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| South Amboy | Acceptable |
| South Amboy | Acceptable |
| South Amboy | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
08859 Parlin (1.5 mi)
07721 Cliffwood (3 mi)
08872 Sayreville (3.2 mi)
08832 Keasbey (3.4 mi)
10307 Staten Island (3.4 mi)
08861 Perth Amboy (3.7 mi)
07747 Matawan (3.8 mi)
07735 Keyport (4.6 mi)
08837 Edison (5.2 mi)
08863 Fords (5.3 mi)
10309 Staten Island (5.4 mi)
08882 South River (5.6 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 22,514 |
| Population density | 3,180 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 34 |
| County FIPS | 023 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 7.08 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.51 sq mi |
| Latitude | 40.4674 |
| Longitude | -74.2758 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 732 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.8% | 26.5% | 30.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.9% | 27.5% | 26.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.3% |
| Over $200k | 8.6% | 14.1% | 14.8% |
Demographics & statistics
22,514
Population
3,180
People per sq mi
41.7
Median age
$93,243
Median household income
$43,852
Per capita income
$355,600
Median home value
$1,641
Median monthly rent
59.0%
Home ownership
7.8%
Poverty rate
7.0%
Unemployment
5,953
Housing units
31.4%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
534
Under 5
569
578
5–9
617
620
10–14
661
462
15–19
494
483
20–24
516
1,629
25–34
1,739
1,544
35–44
1,648
1,376
45–54
1,469
1,159
55–59
1,236
684
60–64
730
1,331
65–74
1,420
415
75–84
443
76
85+
81
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 4,077 | 18.1% |
| 18 and over | 18,437 | 81.9% |
| 65 and over | 3,766 | 16.7% |
| Median age | 41.7 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
52.4%
Hispanic or Latino
14.3%
Two or more races
9.8%
Black or African American
9.5%
Asian
8%
Other race
5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.4%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 13,776 | 52.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,752 | 14.3% |
| Two or more races | 2,578 | 9.8% |
| Black or African American | 2,496 | 9.5% |
| Asian | 2,090 | 8% |
| Other race | 1,470 | 5.6% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 104 | 0.4% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 31.8% | 26.5% | 30.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 30.9% | 27.5% | 26.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.3% |
| Over $200k | 8.6% | 14.1% | 14.8% |
Under $10k
1.8%
$10k–$15k
2.3%
$15k–$25k
6.0%
$25k–$35k
4.8%
$35k–$50k
12.0%
$50k–$75k
14.7%
$75k–$100k
13.0%
$100k–$150k
22.8%
$150k–$200k
13.1%
$200k+
9.5%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 1.8% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.3% |
| $15k–$25k | 6.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 4.8% |
| $35k–$50k | 12.0% |
| $50k–$75k | 14.7% |
| $75k–$100k | 13.0% |
| $100k–$150k | 22.8% |
| $150k–$200k | 13.1% |
| $200k+ | 9.5% |
| Median income | $93,243 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
3.2%
$100k–$150k
1.1%
$150k–$200k
7.1%
$200k–$300k
15.6%
$300k–$500k
64.5%
$500k–$1M
8.0%
$1M+
0.5%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $355,600 |
| Median rent / month | $1,641 |
| Owner occupied | 59.0% |
| Renter occupied | 41.0% |
| Vacant | 5.3% |
| Single-family detached | 53.1% |
| Large apartment buildings | 10.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% |
| Median rooms | 5.4 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.63 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.9% |
| 2000–2009 | 11.4% |
| 1990–1999 | 5.5% |
| 1980–1989 | 5.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 7.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 17.7% |
| 1950–1959 | 15.8% |
| 1940–1949 | 7.0% |
| 1939 or earlier | 23.6% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 2.2% |
| 1 bedroom | 18.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.4% |
| 3 bedrooms | 34.6% |
| 4 bedrooms | 13.6% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 2.5% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 7.1% |
| 1 vehicle | 35.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 38.1% |
| 3 or more | 19.7% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 78.3% |
| Electricity | 14.1% |
| Propane / LP gas | 1.6% |
| Fuel oil | 3.9% |
| Wood | 0.2% |
| Solar | 0.1% |
| No fuel used | 1.5% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 4,390 | 47.7% |
| Cohabiting couple | 381 | 4.1% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,879 | 20.4% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 2,559 | 27.8% |
| Households with children under 18 | 2,556 | 27.8% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 2,819 | 30.6% |
| Average household size | 2.44 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 32.3% | 27.6% |
| Married | 53.6% | 50.2% |
| Separated | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Widowed | 1.4% | 7.7% |
| Divorced | 11.7% | 13.1% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.9%
Some HS, no diploma
6.7%
HS graduate
33.9%
Some college, no degree
19.0%
Associate's degree
7.0%
Bachelor's degree
20.3%
Graduate / professional
11.2%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 91.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.4% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 222 | 5.0% |
| Kindergarten | 136 | 3.0% |
| Elementary school | 1,890 | 42.3% |
| High school | 834 | 18.7% |
| College / grad school | 1,381 | 30.9% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
23.1%
Finance & real estate
12.0%
Transportation & utilities
11.6%
Professional & management
11.1%
Retail trade
10.4%
Manufacturing
7.0%
Construction
5.2%
Other services
5.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
4.9%
Public administration
4.4%
Wholesale trade
2.5%
Information
2.3%
Agriculture & mining
0.2%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 36.6% |
| Service | 13.0% |
| Sales & office | 24.9% |
| Natural resources & construction | 9.2% |
| Production & transportation | 16.2% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 81.9% |
| Government | 14.8% |
| Self-employed | 3.3% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.9% |
| Carpool | 10.3% |
| Public transit | 8.6% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 7.5% |
| Other means | 2.9% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 36.1 |
Poverty
All people
7.8%
Under 18 years
9.7%
18 and over
7.4%
Married-couple families
4.0%
Female-led households
12.8%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 27.7% |
| Retirement income | 26.5% |
| Supplemental Security | 4.7% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.1% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 6.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 25.4% |
| High blood pressure | 0.0% |
| High cholesterol | 0.0% |
| Diabetes | 8.6% |
| Heart disease | 5.5% |
| Stroke | 2.5% |
| Asthma | 9.2% |
| Arthritis | 18.2% |
| Kidney disease | 2.4% |
| Pulmonary disease | 5.4% |
| Cancer | 5.7% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 14.1% |
| Binge drinking | 18.7% |
| No physical activity | 20.1% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 34.2% |
| Depression | 16.8% |
| Fair or poor health | 11.2% |
| Poor mental health | 14.4% |
| Poor physical health | 8.5% |
| No health insurance | 14.0% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 74.4% |
| Visited dentist | 66.1% |
| Cholesterol screening | 0.0% |
| Teeth loss | 10.9% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,211 | 6.6% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 12.0% |
| Under 18 | 6.6% |
| 18–64 years | 7.4% |
| 65 and over | 35.7% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 74.4% |
| Public insurance | 31.3% |
| No insurance | 6.2% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 2.3% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 21,411 | 95.1% |
| Spanish | 2,267 | 10.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 924 | 4.3% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 1,065 | 5.0% |
| Other languages | 182 | 0.9% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 17,712 | 78.7% |
| Born in same state | 16,806 | 74.6% |
| Born in different state | 12,599 | 56.0% |
| Foreign born | 906 | 4.0% |
| Naturalized citizen | 4,802 | 21.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 3,524 | 73.4% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 3,606 | 16% |
| French | 591 | 2.6% |
| Arab | 435 | 1.9% |
| Irish | 283 | 1.3% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 163 | 0.7% |
| Dutch | 66 | 0.3% |
| Polish | 35 | 0.2% |
| German | 22 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 40.9% |
| Internet access | 93.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 08879
What city is ZIP code 08879 in?
ZIP code 08879 is primarily assigned to South Amboy, New Jersey.
What county is ZIP code 08879 in?
ZIP code 08879 falls within Middlesex County, New Jersey.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 08879?
The median home value in ZIP code 08879 is $355,600.
What is the population of ZIP code 08879?
ZIP code 08879 has an estimated population of 22,514 residents, with a density of 3,179 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 08879?
The median household income in ZIP code 08879 is $93,243, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 08879 in?
ZIP code 08879 observes the EST timezone.