Overview / New Jersey

Mercer

county · 15 metrics · 5y change · report

Median gross rent
$1,515
+19.7% over 5y · rank 14/21
Median household income
$96,333
+18.8% over 5y · rank 18/21
Median owner-occupied home value
$351,000
+20.6% over 5y · rank 20/21
Total population
383,286
+4.2% over 5y · rank 7/21
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing
0.48
-1.8% over 5y · rank 10/21
Area median income (HUD)
$125,900
+15.8% over 5y · rank 20/21
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household
$97,800
+24.6% over 5y · rank 6/21
Net migration, tax returns
-1,987
-66.8% over 5y · rank 18/21
Residential units permitted
2,256
+319.3% over 5y · rank 1/21
Home value to area median income
3.47
+28.3% over 5y · rank 15/21
Home value to household income
4.15
+20.5% over 5y · rank 12/21
Annual rent to household income
0.30
+13.8% over 5y · rank 11/16
Unemployment rate
4.5%
-27.4% over 5y · rank 17/21
Home value index, single-family
$453,317
+37.7% over 5y · rank 9/21
Observed rent index, all homes
$2,622
+34.9% over 5y · rank 6/17

Home value index, single-family

Home value index, single-family · 318 observations
$130,540$304,199$477,8592000-012026-06

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$453,317zillow_zhvifips
2026-05-01$453,305zillow_zhvifips
2026-04-01$453,555zillow_zhvifips
2026-03-01$453,605zillow_zhvifips
2026-02-01$452,780zillow_zhvifips
2026-01-01$451,836zillow_zhvifips
2025-12-01$451,550zillow_zhvifips
2025-11-01$451,521zillow_zhvifips
2025-10-01$452,203zillow_zhvifips
2025-09-01$452,395zillow_zhvifips
2025-08-01$452,958zillow_zhvifips
2025-07-01$453,514zillow_zhvifips
2025-06-01$453,906zillow_zhvifips
2025-05-01$453,905zillow_zhvifips
2025-04-01$453,161zillow_zhvifips
2025-03-01$452,062zillow_zhvifips
2025-02-01$450,826zillow_zhvifips
2025-01-01$449,568zillow_zhvifips
2024-12-01$448,803zillow_zhvifips
2024-11-01$447,769zillow_zhvifips
2024-10-01$446,627zillow_zhvifips
2024-09-01$444,434zillow_zhvifips
2024-08-01$441,717zillow_zhvifips
2024-07-01$438,961zillow_zhvifips

Observed rent index, all homes

Observed rent index, all homes · 138 observations
$1,457$2,082$2,7082015-012026-06

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$2,622zillow_zorifips
2026-05-01$2,600zillow_zorifips
2026-04-01$2,574zillow_zorifips
2026-03-01$2,567zillow_zorifips
2026-02-01$2,576zillow_zorifips
2026-01-01$2,591zillow_zorifips
2025-12-01$2,581zillow_zorifips
2025-11-01$2,565zillow_zorifips
2025-10-01$2,549zillow_zorifips
2025-09-01$2,566zillow_zorifips
2025-08-01$2,566zillow_zorifips
2025-07-01$2,575zillow_zorifips
2025-06-01$2,564zillow_zorifips
2025-05-01$2,563zillow_zorifips
2025-04-01$2,562zillow_zorifips
2025-03-01$2,556zillow_zorifips
2025-02-01$2,564zillow_zorifips
2025-01-01$2,533zillow_zorifips
2024-12-01$2,525zillow_zorifips
2024-11-01$2,501zillow_zorifips
2024-10-01$2,497zillow_zorifips
2024-09-01$2,491zillow_zorifips
2024-08-01$2,493zillow_zorifips
2024-07-01$2,505zillow_zorifips

Median household income

Median household income · 5 observations
$79,835$88,695$97,5552015-012019-01

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2019-01-01$96,333census_acsfips
2018-01-01$92,697census_acsfips
2017-01-01$85,687census_acsfips
2016-01-01$83,306census_acsfips
2015-01-01$81,057census_acsfips

Current values

Each metric’s most recent reading, ranked against peers by value rather than by change. The MOD-IV assessment aggregates appear only here: they are a single published snapshot, and a change needs two observations.

MetricValueRankAs ofSource
Median gross rent$1,51512 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median household income$96,33312 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median owner-occupied home value$351,00013 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Total population383,28612 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing0.488 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Area median income (HUD)$125,90012 / 212024-12-31hud
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household$97,8005 / 212024-12-31hud
Net migration, tax returns-1,98716 / 212022-12-31irs_migration
Residential units permitted2,2567 / 212024-12-31census_permits
Home value to area median income3.475 / 212024-12-31hip_derived
Home value to household income4.159 / 212023-12-31hip_derived
Annual rent to household income0.3015 / 182023-12-31hip_derived
Unemployment rate4.5%12 / 212025-12-31bls
Home value index, single-family$453,31713 / 212026-06-30zillow_zhvi
Observed rent index, all homes$2,6227 / 192026-06-30zillow_zori

Interpretation

written by Gemma 4 E4B · ollama

The underlying figures have changed since this was written. Treat it as out of date until it is regenerated.

Mercer County shows significant development activity, ranking 1 of 21 regions for residential units permitted, which saw a massive increase of +319.3%. This development momentum is reflected in strong appreciation metrics, including the Home value index, single-family, which rose +37.7%, and the Observed rent index, all homes, which increased by +34.9%. While the median household income rose by +18.8% and the total population grew by +4.2%, the region ranks poorly in terms of affordability, placing 20 of 21 for both median owner-occupied home value (+20.6%) and Area median income (HUD) (+15.8%). This disparity is highlighted by the Home value to area median income ratio, which increased by +28.3%.

Despite the high cost increases, the region's labor market shows improvement, with the unemployment rate decreasing by -27.4%. However, the economic picture is mixed, as the net migration rate declined by -66.8%, and the median gross rent increased by +19.7%. The current median gross rent stands at $1,515, while the median household income is $96,333. It is important to note that the Area median income (HUD) and the low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household, are county-level figures, and the ACS 5-year vintage estimates overlap by four years, meaning consecutive estimates are not independent measurements.

Overall, the market is characterized by high growth in development and property values, which is contrasted by the region's poor ranking in median income and home value relative to its peers. While the observed rent index and home value index are strong indicators of growth, the Zillow Observed rent index, all homes, rests on a thinner base and ranks against a smaller cohort than the value figures.

Generated by a local language model from this region's analysis packet. It is interpretation of computed metrics, not a measurement, and not advice.

Caveats