In Mountainside, a typical home is worth $810,300 and typical rent is $3,501 a month. Compared with all of Union County, typical household income is 105% higher, typical rent is 102% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 31 points higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $785,554 to $1,050,443.
From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Mountainside is in Union County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Union County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Mountainside has the highest typical rent of the 283 cities in New Jersey with more than 5,000 people: $3,501.
2
Mountainside has the largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 249 cities in New Jersey with more than 5,000 people: 82%.
3
88% of households in Mountainside own their home, against 57% in Union County.
4
The typical household income in Mountainside is $211,538,105% more than in Union County as a whole ($103,202).
5
The typical home in Mountainside is worth $810,300,53% more than in Union County as a whole ($529,200).
6
Nearby, in New Providence, the typical rent is $1,903: 46% less than in Mountainside ($3,501).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Mountainside
What homes there are in Mountainside, 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
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Kind of home: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Detached house
97%
50%
53%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
5%
10%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
Unreliable estimate
25%
15%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
20%
22%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
0%
1%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
The detached house rules in Mountainside: 97% of homes, more than in Union County (50%).
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Year built: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Before 1960
62%
58%
38%
26%
1960–1979
26%
20%
25%
24%
1980–1999
Unreliable estimate
9%
21%
25%
2000–2009
Unreliable estimate
6%
9%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
7%
7%
11%
The typical year built in Mountainside is 1957, about the same as in Union County (1956).
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200KUnreliable
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750K34%
$750K–$1M43%
$1M or more17%
Value of owner-occupied homes: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
Unreliable
$200K–$300K
Unreliable estimate
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
34%
$750K–$1M
43%
$1M or more
17%
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or more79%
Monthly rent with utilities: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Under $500
Unreliable
$500–$999
Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
79%
With a mortgage
$3,717 a month
Union County: $3,203 a month
Owners with a mortgage
59%
Union County: 67%
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Mountainside+29%
Union County+44%
New Jersey+35%
United States+53%
Typical household income
Mountainside+78%
Union County+29%
New Jersey+26%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Typical home value
+29%
+44%
+35%
+53%
Typical rent
No data
+34%
+29%
+33%
Typical household income
+78%
+29%
+26%
+29%
The typical home value in Mountainside rose 29% since 2015–2019, less than in Union County (44%).
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Mountainside and its comparisons
Measure
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
3.1%
3.5%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.0%
0.7%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
5.8%
4.0%
3.4%
People per household
2.76
2.82
2.62
2.53
Drive alone
54%
61%
62%
69%
Carpool
Unreliable estimate
9%
8%
9%
Public transit
8%
9%
8%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
3%
3%
3%
Work from home
25%
14%
17%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
4%
2%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
By size, households in Mountainside look like those in Union County: 2.76 people on average.
Many people here do not commute at all: 25% work from home; in Union County, 14%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Mountainside?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Mountainside, worth $810,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 39% of the typical household income in Mountainside, which is $211,538 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $296,417 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Union County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Mountainside. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $28,361 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$6,916
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$795,623
Total interest
$1,144,715
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $13,684 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $4,936 a month
Tight
$4,936 to $6,346 a month
Hard
more than $6,346 a month
Your payment · 39%
Compared with the typical household income in Mountainside ($211,538 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$5,390
Property tax
$831
Home insurance
$338
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$358
You need at least $28,361 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $6,916; principal and interest $5,390.
The city and its county
Mountainside and Union County
Mountainside is in Union 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).
Mountainside
Map of Union County, New Jersey, with Mountainside marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Mountainside
Union County
Other cities with a page
Mountainside's own numbers
Typical home value
$810,300
Typical monthly rent
$3,501
Typical yearly household income
$211,538
Households that own their home
88%
Effective property tax rate
1.23%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Union County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,209,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,233
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+58%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.9%
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 Union County.
A typical home in Mountainside is worth $810,300: 53% above the county and 78% above New Jersey. With the typical household income in Mountainside ($211,538 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 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.
Mountainside3.8 years
Union5.1 years
New Jersey4.4 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Union County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Union County rose 84% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Union County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Union County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +2.7% +2.7% 2016
2017: +2.2% +2.2% 2017
2018: +3.5% +3.5% 2018
2019: +4.0% +4.0% 2019
2020: +3.1% +3.1% 2020
2021: +9.9% +9.9% 2021
2022: +13.4% +13.4% 2022
2023: +10.1% +10.1% 2023
2024: +9.1% +9.1% 2024
2025: +5.5% +5.5% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Union County, New Jersey and the United States
Period
County
New Jersey
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+5.5%
+6.2%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+58%
+63%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+84%
+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
Mountainside next to Union 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
Mountainside$810,300
Union$529,200
New Jersey$454,400
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Mountainside$3,501
Union$1,730
New Jersey$1,720
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Mountainside$211,538
Union$103,202
New Jersey$103,556
United States$80,734
See the full table
Mountainside next to Union County and New Jersey
Measure
Mountainside
Union County
New Jersey
U.S.
Typical home value
$810,300 ▲53% above the county
$529,200
$454,400
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$3,501 ▲102% above the county
$1,730
$1,720
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$211,538 ▲105% above the county
$103,202
$103,556
$80,734
Households that own their home
88% ▲31 points above the county
57%
64%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$10,001
$10,001
$9,590
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.23% ▼0.66 points below the county
1.89%
2.11%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
82% ▲30 points above the county
51%
52%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Union 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 Mountainside
For a typical $810,300 home in Mountainside, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Mountainside's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$6,916a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$28,361
Cash to close
$52,670
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $358
Conventional, 5% down$6,768a month
Down payment
$40,515
Cash to close
$64,824
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $385
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$5,560a month
Down payment
$162,060
Cash to close
$186,369
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$6,309a month
Down payment
$121,545
Cash to close
$145,854
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Mountainside
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$6,916
$28,361
$795,623
7.18%
FHA MIP · $358
$52,670
580
Conventional, 5% down
$6,768
$40,515
$769,785
7.18%
PMI · $385
$64,824
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$5,560
$162,060
$648,240
7.18%
None
$186,369
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$6,309
$121,545
$688,755
8.18%
None
$145,854
Set by the lender
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.
Typical rent in Mountainside is $3,501 a month: 102% above the county. In Mountainside, 82% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Union County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,233 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $42.94 an hour working full time.
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 Union County; none says it serves in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Mountainside or Union County. The ones below are statewide in New Jersey: they work in Mountainside the same as in the rest of the state.
NJHMFA second loan with no interest, forgiven after five years, for first-time buyers in New Jersey.Offered by New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA).
Extra NJHMFA assistance for first-time buyers whose parents have never owned a home (or who were in foster care in New Jersey).Offered by New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA).
The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Mountainside, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.
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NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE fka NHS of Staten Island
No legal help resource on our list is for Mountainside or Union County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Mountainside and all of Union 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 Mountainside?
The typical home value in Mountainside is $810,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Union County it is $529,200.
How much does it cost to rent in Mountainside?
Typical rent in Mountainside is $3,501 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Union County is $2,233.
What is the FHA loan limit in Mountainside?
Mountainside uses the FHA limit for all of Union County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Mountainside?
The typical homeowner in Mountainside pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.23% of the home’s value; in Union County, the rate is 1.89%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Mountainside?
There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Union County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
