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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Somerset County: 28 seats on 25 elected bodies.

Board of County Commissioners

Somerset County Board of County Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerShanel Robinson Democratic source
County CommissionerSara Sooy Democratic source
County CommissionerMelonie Marano Democratic source
County CommissionerElizabeth Graner Democratic source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkSteve Peter source
SheriffDarrin Russo Democratic source
SurrogateBernice “Tina” Jalloh Democratic source

Cities and towns

How many local governments Somerset County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 52 local governments in Somerset County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships (12 municipal, 9 township)2121
School districts (school boards)170
Special districts (elected boards)130

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 (2 in Somerset 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 Somerset County

349,846people
41.8median ageU.S.: 38.9
$140,374 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
5.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
57.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$552,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
27.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
3.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.4%U.S.: 8.4%
49%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 17.6% · White 49.3% · Black 9.3% · Asian 19.6% · Other or more than one race 4.3% (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 Somerset County

3.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.0%. New Jersey: 4.1%.
7,142people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
188,474people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
195,616in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Somerset County 0.0%1.9%3.8%5.7%7.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.7%7,142188,474195,616
August 20264.1%8,104189,173197,277
July 20264.0%7,953189,483197,436
June 20263.9%7,712189,583197,295
May 20263.7%7,264188,082195,346
April 20263.6%6,930187,221194,151
March 20264.1%7,986185,782193,768
February 20264.5%8,733183,893192,626
January 20264.1%7,923184,561192,484
December 20253.8%7,392187,108194,500
November 20254.0%7,855187,432195,287
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20255.0%9,729184,380194,109
August 20255.0%9,793186,576196,369
July 20255.1%10,037187,728197,765
June 20254.7%9,203188,119197,322
May 20254.3%8,269185,585193,854
April 20254.1%7,952186,143194,095
March 20254.5%8,703184,562193,265
February 20254.6%8,866183,644192,510
January 20254.3%8,307183,606191,913
December 20243.7%7,082185,891192,973
November 20243.8%7,243185,826193,069
October 20243.7%7,246186,543193,789
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%8,737185,898194,635
20243.9%7,537186,514194,051
20233.5%6,847186,252193,099
20223.1%5,904183,354189,258
20215.2%9,565175,115184,680
20207.2%13,064168,225181,289
20192.8%5,234180,393185,627
20183.2%5,842177,051182,893
20173.6%6,544176,439182,983
20163.9%7,152175,540182,692

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 Somerset County

60.0 per 100,0002025. New Jersey: 193.8.
559.5 per 100,0002025. New Jersey: 1,249.6.
2murders2025, 216 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202521660.02,016559.5
202216547.62,314667.8
202013440.72,538771.1
201918054.52,902877.9
201820060.23,028911.2
201720661.23,3811,004.0
201622467.13,5411,060.5
By police agency (19)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County20245579169,921
Bridgewater Township Police Department20252135147,220
Hillsborough Township Police Department20254514946,078
Bernards Township Police Department202435128,921
Montgomery Township Police Department2025199124,462
North Plainfield Police Department20253028123,202
Warren Township Police Department202534117,097
Branchburg Township Police Department202536615,837
Somerville Police Department2025199315,033
Bound Brook Police Department20251611612,850
Manville Police Department202586811,079
Raritan Police Department202510578,809
Bedminster Township Police Department20254218,400
Bernardsville Police Department20250238,072
Green Brook Township Police Department20258397,514
Watchung Police Department202542456,662
South Bound Brook Police Department20252575,004
Peapack and Gladstone Police Department20230222,560
Far Hills Police Department202502940

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

1.82 per 1,000 residents2025, 19 agencies serving 360,298 people.
656sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
95civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (19), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Franklin Township Police Department, Somerset County1032070,400
Bridgewater Township Police Department79947,220
Hillsborough Township Police Department65946,078
North Plainfield Police Department471023,202
Bernards Township Police Department43329,020
Montgomery Township Police Department35624,462
Warren Township Police Department31717,097
Somerville Police Department34215,033
Watchung Police Department2866,662
Bound Brook Police Department26512,850
Branchburg Township Police Department28215,837
Manville Police Department25311,079
Bernardsville Police Department2168,072
Green Brook Township Police Department2217,514
Raritan Police Department2118,809
Bedminster Township Police Department1828,400
South Bound Brook Police Department1315,004
Peapack and Gladstone Police Department1012,619
Far Hills Police Department71940
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20256561.829519
20246451.809319
20236471.859319
20226281.819519
20216241.819519
20206191.889319
20196361.929119
20186181.869019
20176211.849419
20166071.829619

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 Somerset County County Clerk?
Steve Peter is the County Clerk of Somerset County, New Jersey.
Who is the Somerset County Sheriff?
Darrin Russo (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Somerset County, New Jersey.
Who is the Somerset County Surrogate?
Bernice “Tina” Jalloh (Democratic) is the Surrogate of Somerset County, New Jersey.
Who are the Somerset County commissioners?
Shanel Robinson (County Commissioner); Sara Sooy (County Commissioner); Melonie Marano (County Commissioner); Elizabeth Graner (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Somerset County?
About 349,846 people, with a median age of 41.8; the median household income is $140,374 and 5.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Somerset County?
3.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 7,142 people unemployed in a labor force of 195,616, against 5.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Somerset County?
52 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 12 municipal, 9 township, 17 school district and 13 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Somerset County?
21: Bedminster, Bernards, Bernardsville, Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Far Hills, Franklin, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery, North Plainfield, Peapack and Gladstone, Raritan, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Bound Brook, Warren, Watchung. 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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