State FMR profile · HUD FY2026

Fair Market Rents in New Jersey

The average 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent across New Jersey is $1,759/mo — 83% above the US average.

$1,759
Avg 1BR FMR
21
Counties
6
Metro areas

The verdict

New Jersey's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $2,132 — 81% above the US average, the 4th highest of 51 states.

#4
most expensive of 51 states (2BR)
+81%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$85,280
income to afford it (30% rule)
80%
gap, cheapest→priciest county

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents for 21 counties and 6 metro areas in NJ. Verify with HUD →

What these rents mean for New Jersey

Across New Jersey's 21 counties and 6 metro areas, HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rents average $1,599 for a studio, $1,759 for a 1-bedroom, $2,132 for a 2-bedroom, $2,658 for a 3-bedroom, and $3,005 for a 4-bedroom. FMR is set at the county or metro FMR area level — not statewide — so the numbers above are the arithmetic average of every FMR area inside NJ, weighted equally. Local housing authorities use each county's or metro's FMR (not the state average) to calibrate Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards, typically ranging from 90% to 110% of FMR.

Benchmarked against the rest of the country, New Jersey's average 1-bedroom FMR of $1,759 is 83% above the US average of $959. Inside the state, rents are not uniform — the cheapest 1-bedroom FMR is in Cape May County at $1,366, while the most expensive is in Hudson County at $2,458, a spread of roughly 80% between the lowest- and highest-cost counties. That intra-state dispersion is why urban voucher recipients, families relocating for jobs, and landlords setting Section 8 rents all need to check the specific FMR area rather than rely on a statewide figure.

For affordability, the 30% rule implies a household income of $70,360 per year (about $5,863/month) to afford New Jersey's average 1-bedroom at $1,759. The ratio of FMR to local wages determines how many households are rent-burdened. Pair these rent figures with New Jersey's rent burden rankings and year-over-year rent growth pages to see which counties are tightening fastest and which remain comparatively affordable.

Where New Jersey sits among all 50 states + DC

Average 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. every US state

$2,132 Top 8% higher than 92% of 51 states

$900–$1,000: 11 states (22%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,100: 7 states (14%). Below this entry. $1,100–$1,200: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,300: 2 states (4%). Below this entry. $1,300–$1,400: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,500: 8 states (16%). Below this entry. $1,500–$1,600: 3 states (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,700: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,700–$1,800: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,800–$1,900: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $1,900–$2,000: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,000–$2,100: 1 states (2%). Below this entry. $2,100–$2,200: 1 states (2%). This entry sits in this band. $2,200–$2,300: 2 states (4%). Above this entry. $2,300–$2,400: 0 states (0%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,500: 1 states (2%). Above this entry. NJ $900 $2,500 every US state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.1K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — Fair Market Rents · FY2026

State Average vs National Average

Studio
$1,599
+79% vs US avg
1 BR
$1,759
+83% vs US avg
2 BR
$2,132
+81% vs US avg
3 BR
$2,658
+74% vs US avg
4 BR
$3,005
+71% vs US avg

Most expensive counties in New Jersey by 1-bedroom FMR

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent — the highest-cost 10 of 21 NJ counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Inside NJ, 1-bedroom FMR runs from $1,366 in Cape May County to $2,458 in Hudson County.

Source HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data As of FY2026

Cheapest Counties

Lowest FMR rental costs →

Most Expensive Counties

Highest FMR rental costs →

Rent Burden

% of income spent on rent →

Rent Growth

YoY rent trends by county →

Metro areas in New Jersey

Each metro FMR area applies one rent schedule across all its counties, ranked here by 1-bedroom FMR.

# Metro area Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Bergen-Passaic, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area $1,778$2,024$2,324$2,835$3,618
2 Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA $1,344$1,545$1,950$2,338$2,670
3 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area $1,346$1,537$1,867$2,586$2,851
4 Warren County, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area $1,517$1,527$1,895$2,404$2,800
5 Vineland, NJ MSA $1,280$1,375$1,673$2,303$2,311
6 Ocean City, NJ MSA —————

Counties in New Jersey, ranked by rent (21)

All 21 counties with a published FY2026 Fair Market Rent, highest 1-bedroom first.

# County Studio1 BR2 BR3 BR4 BR
1 Hudson County $2,407$2,458$2,763$3,367$3,955
2 Bergen County $1,778$2,024$2,324$2,835$3,618
3 Passaic County $1,778$2,024$2,324$2,835$3,618
4 Hunterdon County $1,804$1,978$2,486$2,981$3,296
5 Middlesex County $1,804$1,978$2,486$2,981$3,296
6 Somerset County $1,804$1,978$2,486$2,981$3,296
7 Monmouth County $1,676$1,889$2,328$3,043$3,371
8 Ocean County $1,676$1,889$2,328$3,043$3,371
9 Essex County $1,612$1,822$2,205$2,761$3,137
10 Morris County $1,612$1,822$2,205$2,761$3,137
11 Sussex County $1,612$1,822$2,205$2,761$3,137
12 Union County $1,612$1,822$2,205$2,761$3,137
13 Mercer County $1,344$1,545$1,950$2,338$2,670
14 Atlantic County $1,346$1,537$1,867$2,586$2,851
15 Warren County $1,517$1,527$1,895$2,404$2,800
16 Burlington County $1,397$1,520$1,810$2,170$2,423
17 Camden County $1,397$1,520$1,810$2,170$2,423
18 Gloucester County $1,397$1,520$1,810$2,170$2,423
19 Salem County $1,397$1,520$1,810$2,170$2,423
20 Cumberland County $1,280$1,375$1,673$2,303$2,311
21 Cape May County $1,320$1,366$1,792$2,396$2,405

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in New Jersey? ▼
The average FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in New Jersey is $1,759 per month. A 2-bedroom averages $2,132.
How does New Jersey rent compare to the national average? ▼
New Jersey rents are 83% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here averages $1,759 vs $959 nationally.
Where is the cheapest rent in New Jersey? ▼
The most affordable county is Cape May County with a 1-bedroom FMR of $1,366. The most expensive is Hudson County at $2,458.
What income do I need to afford rent in New Jersey? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need at least $70,360/year ($5,863/month) to afford the average 1-bedroom FMR in New Jersey.

Explore New Jersey rent data

Rent burden → Rent growth → Cheapest counties → Most expensive counties → National rent-burden rankings → Affordability calculator →

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
Data sourced from HUD Fair Market Rents and U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. See our methodology for details. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rent data (huduser.gov).