Housing decision brief
Cumberland County, NJ Housing Market
Cumberland County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
1st lowest home value out of 21 New Jersey counties with data | 2nd lowest rent out of 21
Median home value
$205,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,254/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,437/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
34.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$183/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$205,600 median home value is 48% below New Jersey county median
Lower rent
$1,254/mo is 19% below New Jersey county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,499 median income is 35% below New Jersey county median
Tax rate needs attention
2.46% effective property-tax rate is 11% above New Jersey county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 35.2 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Cumberland County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $205,600 | $395,000 | $281,900 | 48% favorable48% below New Jersey county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,254 | $1,553 | $1,163 | 19% favorable19% below New Jersey county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,437 | $2,006 | $1,672 | 28% favorable28% below New Jersey county median |
Median household income | $64,499 | $99,596 | $74,755 | 35% pressure35% below New Jersey county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 2.46% | 2.20% | 1.02% | 11% pressure11% above New Jersey county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 34.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 13% pressure34.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$14,339
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$2,913
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Cumberland County is affordable. The median rent is $1,254/month against a median household income of $64,499, putting rent at 23.3% of income.
Rent vs own
At $1,254/month rent versus $1,437/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $183/month cheaper , a 13% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $50,160/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $61,586/year. With a median household income of $64,499, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 34.0% of renter households in Cumberland County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Salem County where rent averages $1,185/month, Cumberland County is approximately 6% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County, NJ | $223,000 | $1,185/mo | Same-state comparison near $223,000 home value and $1,185/mo rent. |
| Nueces County, TX | $194,700 | $1,224/mo | Out-of-state peer near $194,700 home value and $1,224/mo rent. |
| Onslow County, NC | $219,500 | $1,198/mo | Out-of-state peer near $219,500 home value and $1,198/mo rent. |
| Craven County, NC | $206,200 | $1,100/mo | Out-of-state peer near $206,200 home value and $1,100/mo rent. |
| Bossier Parish, LA | $215,100 | $1,168/mo | Out-of-state peer near $215,100 home value and $1,168/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Cumberland County
Is Cumberland County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Cumberland County?
How much income do you need for housing in Cumberland County?
What should I double-check before moving to Cumberland County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.