Overview / New Jersey

Somerset

county · 15 metrics · 5y change · report

Median gross rent
$1,921
+20.5% over 5y · rank 12/21
Median household income
$135,960
+19.7% over 5y · rank 16/21
Median owner-occupied home value
$523,900
+21.6% over 5y · rank 18/21
Total population
346,203
+5.0% over 5y · rank 4/21
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing
0.46
+3.9% over 5y · rank 18/21
Area median income (HUD)
$146,200
+22.3% over 5y · rank 9/21
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household
$104,800
+27.0% over 5y · rank 3/21
Net migration, tax returns
-622
+15.7% over 5y · rank 13/21
Residential units permitted
678
-56.4% over 5y · rank 21/21
Home value to area median income
4.36
+13.1% over 5y · rank 7/21
Home value to household income
4.27
+8.4% over 5y · rank 6/21
Annual rent to household income
0.22
+6.3% over 5y · rank 6/16
Unemployment rate
3.8%
-26.9% over 5y · rank 18/21
Home value index, single-family
$673,091
+33.1% over 5y · rank 15/21
Observed rent index, all homes
$2,688
+30.2% over 5y · rank 15/17

Home value index, single-family

Home value index, single-family · 318 observations
$209,034$458,380$707,7252000-012026-06

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$673,091zillow_zhvifips
2026-05-01$673,333zillow_zhvifips
2026-04-01$673,025zillow_zhvifips
2026-03-01$671,765zillow_zhvifips
2026-02-01$669,421zillow_zhvifips
2026-01-01$667,616zillow_zhvifips
2025-12-01$666,139zillow_zhvifips
2025-11-01$663,539zillow_zhvifips
2025-10-01$660,865zillow_zhvifips
2025-09-01$659,048zillow_zhvifips
2025-08-01$659,054zillow_zhvifips
2025-07-01$660,242zillow_zhvifips
2025-06-01$661,479zillow_zhvifips
2025-05-01$662,220zillow_zhvifips
2025-04-01$662,124zillow_zhvifips
2025-03-01$660,771zillow_zhvifips
2025-02-01$659,221zillow_zhvifips
2025-01-01$657,661zillow_zhvifips
2024-12-01$656,598zillow_zhvifips
2024-11-01$655,342zillow_zhvifips
2024-10-01$652,905zillow_zhvifips
2024-09-01$649,471zillow_zhvifips
2024-08-01$645,599zillow_zhvifips
2024-07-01$641,640zillow_zhvifips

Observed rent index, all homes

Observed rent index, all homes · 138 observations
$1,609$2,189$2,7682015-012026-06

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2026-06-01$2,688zillow_zorifips
2026-05-01$2,680zillow_zorifips
2026-04-01$2,680zillow_zorifips
2026-03-01$2,666zillow_zorifips
2026-02-01$2,644zillow_zorifips
2026-01-01$2,656zillow_zorifips
2025-12-01$2,656zillow_zorifips
2025-11-01$2,679zillow_zorifips
2025-10-01$2,657zillow_zorifips
2025-09-01$2,655zillow_zorifips
2025-08-01$2,643zillow_zorifips
2025-07-01$2,643zillow_zorifips
2025-06-01$2,614zillow_zorifips
2025-05-01$2,602zillow_zorifips
2025-04-01$2,589zillow_zorifips
2025-03-01$2,581zillow_zorifips
2025-02-01$2,575zillow_zorifips
2025-01-01$2,564zillow_zorifips
2024-12-01$2,574zillow_zorifips
2024-11-01$2,553zillow_zorifips
2024-10-01$2,562zillow_zorifips
2024-09-01$2,572zillow_zorifips
2024-08-01$2,589zillow_zorifips
2024-07-01$2,578zillow_zorifips

Median household income

Median household income · 5 observations
$111,823$124,786$137,7482015-012019-01

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PeriodValueSourceMatched by
2019-01-01$135,960census_acsfips
2018-01-01$131,948census_acsfips
2017-01-01$121,695census_acsfips
2016-01-01$116,510census_acsfips
2015-01-01$113,611census_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$1,9211 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median household income$135,9602 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Median owner-occupied home value$523,9004 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Total population346,20313 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Renters paying over 30% of income on housing0.466 / 212023-12-31census_acs
Area median income (HUD)$146,2001 / 212024-12-31hud
Low-income limit, 80% AMI, 4-person household$104,8002 / 212024-12-31hud
Net migration, tax returns-62212 / 212022-12-31irs_migration
Residential units permitted67815 / 212024-12-31census_permits
Home value to area median income4.3614 / 212024-12-31hip_derived
Home value to household income4.2711 / 212023-12-31hip_derived
Annual rent to household income0.223 / 182023-12-31hip_derived
Unemployment rate3.8%4 / 212025-12-31bls
Home value index, single-family$673,0916 / 212026-06-30zillow_zhvi
Observed rent index, all homes$2,6886 / 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.

Over the past several years, Somerset County has seen significant increases in housing costs and property values. The median gross rent rose by +20.5% between 2019 and 2023, and the Observed rent index, all homes, saw a substantial increase of +30.2% through 2026. Similarly, the median owner-occupied home value increased by +21.6% during the 2019-2023 window. These rising costs are set against a backdrop of declining housing supply, as residential units permitted dropped sharply by -56.4% between 2019 and 2024. While the median household income rose by +19.7% over the same period, the annual rent to household income ratio increased by +6.3%, and the percentage of renters paying over 30% of income on housing also rose by +3.9%.

The region's economic indicators show some positive momentum, with the total population increasing by +5.0% and the unemployment rate dropping by -26.9% between 2020 and 2025. Furthermore, the area median income (HUD) rose by +22.3% between 2020 and 2024, and the low-income limit for a four-person household increased by +27.0% during the same period. However, it is important to note that the Observed rent index is based on a thinner base and ranks against a smaller cohort than the home value index. When interpreting these figures, remember that consecutive estimates, such as the 5-year estimates, are not independent measurements due to overlapping vintages.

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