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The Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, along with demographer Dr. Ira Sheskin, presented the results of the recent demographic study of Middlesex County on Jan. 9.

Sheskin, an associate professor at the University of Miami in the department of geography and regional studies, was hired by the federation to conduct a comprehensive survey of the Jewish community of Middlesex County.

According to Federation President Lee Livingston, the survey cost $125,000.

Sheskin used two methods called the DJN (Distinguished Jewish Names), where he called people based on their last name, and Random Digit Dial, where he randomly called area residents. He said there were 1,076 interviews that took place and the interviewers only knew the numbers, and not the names, of the respondents. Also, throughout the entirety of the survey, there were no calls made to cell phones, he said.

Susan Antman, the federation's associate executive director, said the survey wasn't just about the Jewish community.

"Its purpose was to reach out and help everybody in Middlesex County," Antman said.

According to the survey, there are 56,600 people that live in 24,000 Jewish homes in Middlesex County, of whom 92 percent are Jewish. There are 4,500 people that live in 2,000 Jewish homes in the north, where 81 percent of people in Jewish homes are Jewish. There are 5,700 people in 1,700 Jewish households in Highland Park and south Edison where all of the people in the Jewish homes are Jewish. Also, there are 27,900 people living in 10,100 Jewish households in the central part of the county, where 89 percent of the people in the Jewish homes are Jewish. Additionally, there are 18,500 people living in 10,200 Jewish homes in the southern part of the county, where 97 percent of the people in Jewish homes are Jewish.

Overall, the survey found that 48 percent of Jews live in the central part of the county, 34 percent in the south, 11 percent in the Highland Park/south Edison area, and seven percent in the north. Ultimately, nine percent of the homes in Middlesex County are Jewish homes. The survey also stated that Middlesex County has the third-largest Jewish population in the state. Also, 91 percent of Jews in Middlesex County own their own home.

According to the survey, from 2000 to 2008, the amount of Jewish homes in Middlesex County declined. In 2000, 65,800 people lived in 27,900 Jewish homes compared to only 56,600 in 2008. In the south, the amount of households increased from 33 to 43 percent, while in the center of the county it decreased from 48 to 42 percent.

According to the survey, 11 percent of homes have lived in the county for zero to four years, while 47 percent for 20 or more years. Also, 24 percent of people 65 years or older in Jewish homes live alone and 29 percent of people age 75 and over in Jewish homes live alone.

The survey found that the average age of people in Jewish homes is 55. In Jewish homes, 18 percent of the people are zero to 17, where 84 percent are being raised Jewish. Also, 36 percent of the people are 65 and older and 23 percent are 75 and older.

According to the survey, 70 percent of adults in Jewish homes are currently married and 14 percent are single. Currently, 30 percent of the Jewish adults are single, where 34 percent are under 35. In Jewish homes of adults over the age of 25, 66 percent of them have a four-year college degree or higher. Of the adults living in Middlesex County, 37 percent are employed full-time, nine percent part-time, 41 percent retired, two percent unemployed; three percent are homemakers, seven percent are students, and one percent are disabled. There are also many intermarried couples, whereas 84 percent of married couples in Jewish homes are inmarried. However, 33 percent of the children in intermarried households are being raised Jewish.

The survey found that 44 percent of the households earn an annual income of at least $100,000, 12 percent are low-income homes earning under $25,000, and two percent are homes that earn below the federal poverty levels.

According to the survey, seven percent of the Jews are Orthodox, 35 percent are Conservative, 29 percent are Reform, and 29 percent are "just Jewish". It also said 83 percent of the homes have a mezuzah, 83 percent of the homes have or usually participate in a Passover seder, 84 percent of homes light Hanukkah candles, and 23 percent keep a kosher home. Also, 22 percent of the people attend shul once a month or more, while 25 percent never attend synagogue or only for special occasions.

The survey found that 44 percent of homes belong to a temple. Twenty-seven percent of the homes belong to Orthodox shuls, 43 percent to Conservative shuls, and 18 percent to Reform synagogues.

According to the survey, 38 percent of Jewish homes are current members in a Jewish organization and 58 percent of homes reported that they are associated with the Jewish community.

The survey also found that 74 percent of born- or raised-Jewish adults received some type of formal Jewish education as children, and 12 percent of born- or raised-Jewish adults attended a Jewish day school as children.

Federation Executive Director Gerrie Bamira said she is very excited about the results of the survey. She said hospitals and social service organizations have seen the survey and found tremendous value in it.

"We're hoping that other organizations and synagogues use this for their own institutions, because this wasn't done for us, it was done for everybody," she said.

On Feb. 22, the federation will host a meeting at its South River offices, to which all members of the county are invited to see the complete results of the survey and voice their opinions.