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City · 5,920 residents · Mercer County, New Jersey

Hightstown , New Jersey

In Hightstown, a typical home is worth $342,600 and typical rent is $1,606 a month. Compared with all of Mercer County, the typical home value is 9% lower, typical household income is 8% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 10 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $342,600

    9% below the county

    25% below New Jersey

    • Hightstown
    • Mercer
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $1,606a month

    About the same as the county

    7% below New Jersey

    • Hightstown
    • Mercer
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $108,987a year

    8% above the county

    5% above New Jersey

    • Hightstown
    • Mercer
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    72%

    10 points above the county

    9 points above New Jersey

    • Hightstown
    • Mercer
    • New Jersey

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$468,108
3.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Hightstown is in Mercer County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Mercer County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Hightstown apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 72% of households in Hightstown own their home, against 62% in Mercer County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Hightstown

What homes there are in Hightstown, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house rules in Hightstown: 66% of homes, more than in Mercer County (48%).

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,623 a month

Mercer County: $2,615 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,276 a month

Mercer County: $1,136 a month

Owners with a mortgage

83%

Mercer County: 62%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Hightstown is $2,623 a month, near the figure in Mercer County ($2,615).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Hightstown rose 21%; in Mercer County, it rose 30%.

The typical rent in Hightstown stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureHightstownMercer CountyNew JerseyUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.9%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.7%4.0%3.4%
People per household 2.812.562.622.53
Drive alone 69%60%62%69%
Carpool 13%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate5%8%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%3%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate20%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate3%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Hightstown are bigger: 2.81 people on average; in Mercer County, 2.56.

More people carpool to work in Hightstown than in Mercer County: 13% against 9%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Hightstown?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Hightstown, worth $342,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 37% of the typical household income in Hightstown, which is $108,987 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $144,660 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Mercer County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Hightstown. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $11,991 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,375

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$336,395
Total interest
$483,993
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,786 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,543 a month

  • Tight

    $2,543 to $3,270 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,270 a month

    Your payment · 37%

Compared with the typical household income in Hightstown ($108,987 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,375
Principal & interest$2,279
Property tax$802
Home insurance$143
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$152

You need at least $11,991 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Hightstown and Mercer County

Hightstown is in Mercer County, New Jersey. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Hightstown's own numbers

Typical home value
$342,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,606
Typical yearly household income
$108,987
Households that own their home
72%
Effective property tax rate
2.81%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Mercer County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,242
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+68%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.7%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Mercer County.

Everything about Mercer County

Buying

Buying a home in Hightstown

A typical home in Hightstown is worth $342,600: 9% below the county and 25% below New Jersey. With the typical household income in Hightstown ($108,987 a year), a typical home costs 3.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Hightstown 3.1 years
  • Mercer 3.8 years
  • New Jersey 4.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Mercer County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Mercer County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Mercer County.

Period County New Jersey U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.7% +6.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +68% +63% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +88% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Hightstown next to Mercer County, New Jersey and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Hightstown $342,600
  • Mercer $377,700
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Hightstown $1,606
  • Mercer $1,623
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Hightstown $108,987
  • Mercer $100,645
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Hightstown next to Mercer County and New Jersey
Measure Hightstown Mercer County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $342,600 $377,700 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,606 $1,623 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $108,987 $100,645 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 72% 62% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $9,640 $8,909 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.81% 2.36% 2.11% 0.94%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Mercer County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Hightstown

For a typical $342,600 home in Hightstown, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Hightstown's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,375a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $11,991
    Cash to close
    $22,269
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $152

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,313a month

    Down payment
    $17,130
    Cash to close
    $27,408
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $163

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,802a month

    Down payment
    $68,520
    Cash to close
    $78,798
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,118a month

    Down payment
    $51,390
    Cash to close
    $61,668
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Hightstown and for Mercer County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Hightstown

2.81%of the home’s value each year

$9,640 a year for the typical owner in Hightstown.

  • Hightstown 2.81%
  • Mercer 2.36%
  • New Jersey 2.11%

What New Jersey publishes ANCHOR, Senior Freeze and Stay NJ: one combined application (New Jersey Division of Taxation)

Exemptions and deadlines in New Jersey

Flood risk in Mercer County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Mercer County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.7%
1,826
Of those, with NFIP insurance
42%
County New Jersey U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.7% 6.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 42% 63% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Hightstown

Typical rent in Hightstown is $1,606 a month: about the same as the county.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Mercer County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,242 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $43.12 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Mercer County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,561 $30.02 $62,440
1 bedroom $1,764 $33.92 $70,560
2 bedrooms $2,242 $43.12 $89,680
3 bedrooms $2,741 $52.71 $109,640
4 bedrooms $3,081 $59.25 $123,240

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Hightstown

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Hightstown is in ZIP code 08520.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,240: $2 less than the fair market rent for Mercer County ($2,242).

  • 08520 $2,240$2,740

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Hightstown when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Hightstown

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Hightstown.

  • Hightstown Homes 215 S Academy St, Hightstown 08520 100 low-income homes · Run by Hightstown Housing Authority · Average payment: $653 a month · Average wait: 18 months (609) 448-2268

See all 131 buildings in Mercer County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Hightstown

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Mercer County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Hightstown

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Hightstown or Mercer County. The ones below are statewide in New Jersey: they work in Hightstown the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in New Jersey

Housing counselors near Hightstown

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Hightstown, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Navicore Solutions

    200 US Highway 9, Manalapan · 12 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (732) 409-6281

  • Navicore Solutions - Manalapan, NJ

    200 US Highway 9, Manalapan · 12 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (732) 409-6281

  • Isles, Incorporated

    10 Wood St, Trenton · 13 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Cantonese.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 2 more
    (609) 341-4700

Every agency in Mercer County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near Hightstown

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Hightstown

HUD’s record names them for Hightstown or Mercer County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

4 other authorities have an office in Mercer County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Mercer County

These cities are also in Mercer County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Mercer County Housing in New Jersey

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Hightstown, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Mercer County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Hightstown.

All guides
Two parents walk hand in hand with their little daughter.

Questions

Housing questions about Hightstown

Short answers with the numbers for Hightstown and all of Mercer County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Hightstown?

The typical home value in Hightstown is $342,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Mercer County it is $377,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Hightstown?

Typical rent in Hightstown is $1,606 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Mercer County is $2,242.

What is the FHA loan limit in Hightstown?

Hightstown uses the FHA limit for all of Mercer County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Hightstown?

The typical homeowner in Hightstown pays $9,640 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.81% of the home’s value; in Mercer County, the rate is 2.36%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Hightstown?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Mercer County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).