County housing intelligence
New Jersey Housing Market by County
New Jersey is not one housing market. Across 21 counties, the median county home value is $395,000 and the median county rent is $1,553/mo. The useful question is not whether New Jersey is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$395,000
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$1,553/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
21
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The New Jersey Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Bergen County, Monmouth County, Morris County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Cumberland County, Salem County, Camden County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Somerset County, Bergen County, Morris County lead on rent, while Salem County, Cumberland County, Atlantic County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Gloucester County, Salem County, Camden County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Cumberland County
$205,600
- 2. Salem County
$223,000
- 3. Camden County
$262,200
- 4. Atlantic County
$272,700
- 5. Gloucester County
$283,500
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Gloucester County
2.8x home-value-to-income
- 2. Salem County
2.8x home-value-to-income
- 3. Camden County
3.0x home-value-to-income
- 4. Sussex County
3.0x home-value-to-income
- 5. Burlington County
3.1x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Salem County
$1,185/mo
- 2. Cumberland County
$1,254/mo
- 3. Atlantic County
$1,325/mo
- 4. Cape May County
$1,345/mo
- 5. Camden County
$1,346/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Morris County
27.0% rent burden
- 2. Hudson County
28.0% rent burden
- 3. Hunterdon County
28.0% rent burden
- 4. Middlesex County
28.0% rent burden
- 5. Warren County
28.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Cape May County
1.32% effective tax rate
- 2. Bergen County
1.69% effective tax rate
- 3. Monmouth County
1.77% effective tax rate
- 4. Ocean County
1.77% effective tax rate
- 5. Morris County
1.80% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Ocean County
$72/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Cumberland County
$-183/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Burlington County
$-217/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Cape May County
$-243/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Salem County
$-343/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Hunterdon County
$139,453 income, 3.6x value-to-income
- 2. Sussex County
$114,316 income, 3.0x value-to-income
- 3. Gloucester County
$102,807 income, 2.8x value-to-income
- 4. Somerset County
$135,960 income, 3.9x value-to-income
- 5. Burlington County
$105,271 income, 3.1x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Cumberland County $205,600 home value, $64,499 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Cumberland County $205,600 home value, 2.46% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Ocean County $1,702/mo rent, 35.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Bergen County $593,200 home value, $123,715 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Lowest rents
Compare Every New Jersey County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester County | $283,500 | $1,480/mo | $102,807 | 2.8x | 2.81% |
| Salem County | $223,000 | $1,185/mo | $78,412 | 2.8x | 3.03% |
| Camden County | $262,200 | $1,346/mo | $86,384 | 3.0x | 3.08% |
| Sussex County | $342,800 | $1,503/mo | $114,316 | 3.0x | 2.47% |
| Burlington County | $326,700 | $1,669/mo | $105,271 | 3.1x | 2.42% |
| Cumberland County | $205,600 | $1,254/mo | $64,499 | 3.2x | 2.46% |
| Warren County | $323,100 | $1,368/mo | $99,596 | 3.2x | 2.52% |
| Atlantic County | $272,700 | $1,325/mo | $76,819 | 3.5x | 2.47% |
| Hunterdon County | $498,800 | $1,707/mo | $139,453 | 3.6x | 2.00% |
| Mercer County | $351,000 | $1,515/mo | $96,333 | 3.6x | 2.51% |
| Somerset County | $523,900 | $1,921/mo | $135,960 | 3.9x | 1.91% |
| Middlesex County | $439,300 | $1,810/mo | $109,028 | 4.0x | 2.20% |
| Morris County | $557,000 | $1,860/mo | $134,929 | 4.1x | 1.80% |
| Ocean County | $366,600 | $1,702/mo | $86,411 | 4.2x | 1.77% |
| Cape May County | $395,000 | $1,345/mo | $88,046 | 4.5x | 1.32% |
| Monmouth County | $566,500 | $1,771/mo | $122,727 | 4.6x | 1.77% |
| Bergen County | $593,200 | $1,863/mo | $123,715 | 4.8x | 1.69% |
| Union County | $488,800 | $1,664/mo | $100,117 | 4.9x | 2.05% |
| Passaic County | $439,400 | $1,553/mo | $87,137 | 5.0x | 2.28% |
| Hudson County | $508,600 | $1,811/mo | $90,032 | 5.6x | 1.85% |
| Essex County | $494,400 | $1,459/mo | $76,712 | 6.4x | 2.02% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in New Jersey by county?
What is the typical rent in New Jersey by county?
Which New Jersey counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.