Middlesex County, NJ elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Middlesex County: 26 seats on 26 elected bodies. 5 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkNancy J. Pinkin source

Cities and towns

How many local governments Middlesex County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 75 local governments in Middlesex County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships (15 municipal, 10 township)2525
School districts (school boards)210
Special districts (elected boards)280

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments (4 in Middlesex County), though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Middlesex County

871,290people
39.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$111,549 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
45.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$462,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
6.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
35.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.2%U.S.: 8.4%
48.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
32.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 23.6% · White 37.5% · Black 9.7% · Asian 25.4% · Other or more than one race 3.8% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Middlesex County

4.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.8%. New Jersey: 4.1%.
19,045people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
439,561people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
458,606in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Middlesex County 0.0%2.3%4.6%6.9%9.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.2%19,045439,561458,606
August 20264.8%22,210441,278463,488
July 20264.7%21,969442,090464,059
June 20264.5%20,676442,130462,806
May 20264.2%19,300438,571457,871
April 20264.0%18,383436,869455,252
March 20264.6%20,997433,864454,861
February 20265.1%23,045429,519452,564
January 20264.7%21,017430,882451,899
December 20254.4%19,936436,566456,502
November 20254.7%21,384437,351458,735
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20255.8%26,665430,022456,687
August 20255.9%27,406435,078462,484
July 20256.1%28,358437,969466,327
June 20255.5%25,453438,566464,019
May 20255.0%22,799432,443455,242
April 20254.8%21,913434,113456,026
March 20255.1%23,263431,008454,271
February 20255.1%23,272428,760452,032
January 20254.9%22,219428,582450,801
December 20244.3%19,616433,316452,932
November 20244.5%20,395433,650454,045
October 20244.4%19,973434,805454,778
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.2%23,879433,678457,557
20244.6%20,945435,108456,053
20234.2%19,245434,221453,466
20223.7%16,436427,186443,622
20216.4%27,706408,237435,943
20208.8%38,067393,847431,914
20193.2%13,966422,673436,639
20183.7%15,871414,675430,546
20174.2%18,039414,111432,150
20164.6%19,764411,308431,072

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. New Jersey's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.2% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Middlesex County

199.5 per 100,0002023. New Jersey: 225.3.
1,422.1 per 100,0002023. New Jersey: 1,527.6.
13murders2023, 1,725 violent crimes in all.

2023 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20231,725199.512,2951,422.1
20201,069129.57,624923.2
20191,018122.99,0691,094.9
20181,084129.79,3921,124.1
20171,127133.410,4931,241.9
20161,144135.810,0031,187.0
By police agency (25)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Edison Township Police Department20251981,632110,617
Woodbridge Township Police Department20251451,236106,592
Old Bridge Township Police Department20244849170,143
Piscataway Township Police Department20246743662,342
New Brunswick Police Department202522893957,980
Perth Amboy Police Department202515145457,269
East Brunswick Township Police Department20256060151,415
Monroe Township Police Department, Middlesex County202589550,506
South Brunswick Township Police Department20255829548,091
Sayreville Police Department20256843047,610
North Brunswick Township Police Department20257358245,667
Carteret Police Department20255320926,151
South Plainfield Police Department20253450825,232
Plainsboro Township Police Department202597024,663
South River Police Department2025186516,459
Metuchen Police Department20251512915,557
Highland Park Police Department20251611615,457
Middlesex Police Department202567714,928
South Amboy Police Department20251410510,862
Dunellen Police Department20257518,618
Spotswood Police Department202413598,238
Milltown Police Department202551107,199
Jamesburg Police Department20252265,896
Cranbury Township Police Department20252264,235
Helmetta Police Department2023182,442

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in New Jersey · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.93 per 1,000 residents2025, 25 agencies serving 896,416 people.
1,729sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
362civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (25), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Woodbridge Township Police Department22267106,592
Edison Township Police Department18847110,617
New Brunswick Police Department1491857,980
Perth Amboy Police Department1291557,269
Old Bridge Township Police Department1092571,391
Sayreville Police Department912047,610
South Brunswick Township Police Department902148,091
East Brunswick Township Police Department832751,415
Piscataway Township Police Department831763,164
North Brunswick Township Police Department781745,667
Monroe Township Police Department, Middlesex County742050,506
South Plainfield Police Department601525,232
Carteret Police Department71226,151
South River Police Department321016,459
Plainsboro Township Police Department33824,663
Metuchen Police Department33315,557
South Amboy Police Department30510,862
Highland Park Police Department27715,457
Middlesex Police Department30314,928
Spotswood Police Department2358,343
Milltown Police Department1767,199
Cranbury Township Police Department2024,235
Helmetta Police Department2012,514
Jamesburg Police Department2015,896
Dunellen Police Department1708,618
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251,7291.9336225
20231,7051.9739125
20211,6501.9237325
20201,6331.9836225
20191,6261.9639825
20181,6151.9339125
20171,6021.9038325
20161,5711.8641225

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Middlesex County County Clerk?
Nancy J. Pinkin is the County Clerk of Middlesex County, New Jersey.
What is the population of Middlesex County?
About 871,290 people, with a median age of 39.5; the median household income is $111,549 and 8.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Middlesex County?
4.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 19,045 people unemployed in a labor force of 458,606, against 5.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Middlesex County?
75 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 15 municipal, 10 township, 21 school district and 28 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Middlesex County?
25: Carteret, Cranbury, Dunellen, East Brunswick, Edison, Helmetta, Highland Park, Jamesburg, Metuchen, Middlesex, Milltown, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, Piscataway, Plainsboro, Sayreville, South Amboy, South Brunswick, South Plainfield, South River, Spotswood, Woodbridge. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the NJ Department of Community Affairs' Mayors Directory, the Division of Elections' list of county clerks, and each county's own website; where a county site blocks automated reading, from the county clerk's certified election results (officials appointed since an election may differ); each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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