Cost of Living in Bergen County, New Jersey
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Bergen County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Bergen County ranks #3,108 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 1%)
Sourced county brief
Bergen County Median Home Value Reaches $623,000
The median home value in Bergen County was estimated at $623,000, which is $192,986 above the New Jersey unweighted county mean of $430,014. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $2,731, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $2,126. Renters in the county had a median gross rent of $1,914 per month, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $1,635. The official ACS B25071 Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) was 30.5%, which is 0.9 percentage points lower than the state unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 31.4%. Renter-household median income was recorded at $74,953. All data points are based on 2020-2024 ACS 5-year estimates and provide a specific historical snapshot. See ACS table B25077 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Bergen County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 30.5% of renter household income in Bergen County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,914 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $2,731. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $76,560 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The New Jersey unweighted mean of county median rents is $1,635 per month. Bergen County's $1,914 median is 17.1% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Bergen County
Rent Burden
18.4%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$2,914
per month
Owner Cost Burden
26.2%
of gross income
The median home in Bergen County may be a stretch
Median home value is $623,000. Estimated monthly cost: $4,974 vs. your max of $2,914.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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