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City · 56,345 residents · Middlesex County, New Jersey

New Brunswick , New Jersey

In New Brunswick, a typical home is worth $353,800 and typical rent is $1,814 a month. Compared with all of Middlesex County, typical household income is 41% lower, the typical home value is 24% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 42 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $353,800

    24% below the county

    22% below New Jersey

    • New Brunswick
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $1,814a month

    3% below the county

    5% above New Jersey

    • New Brunswick
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $65,810a year

    41% below the county

    36% below New Jersey

    • New Brunswick
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    21%

    42 points below the county

    42 points below New Jersey

    • New Brunswick
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$439,421
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,820 a month
2.5% more than 12 months ago

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

New Brunswick is in Middlesex 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 Middlesex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets New Brunswick apart

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

  1. 21% of households in New Brunswick own their home, against 64% in Middlesex County.

  2. The typical household income in New Brunswick is $65,810, 41% less than in Middlesex County as a whole ($111,549).

  3. Nearby, in Milltown, the typical rent is $1,204: 34% less than in New Brunswick ($1,814).

  4. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in New Brunswick barely changed; in New Jersey, it rose 4%.

  5. The typical home in New Brunswick is worth $353,800, 24% less than in Middlesex County as a whole ($462,900).

  6. 10% of households in New Brunswick have no internet at home (4% in Middlesex County).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in New Brunswick

What homes there are in New Brunswick, 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

Many people here live in apartments: 4 in 10 homes; in Middlesex County, 2.

Year built

Homes in New Brunswick are older: the typical year built is 1968; in Middlesex County, 1974.

There are fewer big homes in New Brunswick than in Middlesex County: 32% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 56%.

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

By rent, most homes in New Brunswick cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($2,623): about 81%.

With a mortgage

$2,195 a month

Middlesex County: $2,877 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,037 a month

Middlesex County: $1,242 a month

Owners with a mortgage

64%

Middlesex County: 63%

Owning costs less in New Brunswick: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,195 a month; in Middlesex County, $2,877. Without one, $1,037.

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 New Brunswick rose 41%; in Middlesex County, it rose 35%.

Rents in New Brunswick rose more slowly than in Middlesex County: 23% since 2015–2019, against 27%.

The typical household income in New Brunswick rose 50%: more than home values (+41%) and rent (+23%).

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

MeasureNew BrunswickMiddlesex CountyNew JerseyUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.7%2.4%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 17.1%5.5%4.0%3.4%
People per household 3.132.752.622.53
Drive alone 41%61%62%69%
Carpool 11%8%8%9%
Public transit 5%6%8%3%
Walk or bike 17%3%3%3%
Work from home 11%18%17%15%
Other means 16%4%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in New Brunswick is 3.7%, higher than in Middlesex County (2.4%).

More households are short on space in New Brunswick: 17.1% have more than one person per room; in Middlesex County, 5.5%.

On average, a household in New Brunswick has 3.13 people, more than in Middlesex County (2.75).

More people walk or bike to work in New Brunswick: 17%, against 3% in Middlesex County.

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 New Brunswick?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in New Brunswick, worth $353,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 58% of the typical household income in New Brunswick, which is $65,810 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $136,500 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in New Brunswick. 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 $12,383 (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

$3,185

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$347,392
Total interest
$499,815
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,975 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,536 a month

  • Tight

    $1,536 to $1,974 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,974 a month

    Your payment · 58%

Compared with the typical household income in New Brunswick ($65,810 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,185
Principal & interest$2,353
Property tax$528
Home insurance$147
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$156

You need at least $12,383 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

New Brunswick and Middlesex County

New Brunswick is in Middlesex 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).

New Brunswick's own numbers

Typical home value
$353,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,814
Typical yearly household income
$65,810
Households that own their home
21%
Effective property tax rate
1.79%

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

Numbers for all of Middlesex County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,209,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,623
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+62%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

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 Middlesex County.

Everything about Middlesex County

Buying

Buying a home in New Brunswick

A typical home in New Brunswick is worth $353,800: 24% below the county and 22% below New Jersey. With the typical household income in New Brunswick ($65,810 a year), a typical home costs 5.4 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.

  • New Brunswick 5.4 years
  • Middlesex 4.1 years
  • New Jersey 4.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Middlesex County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Middlesex County rose 89% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County New Jersey U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.1% +6.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +62% +63% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +89% +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

New Brunswick next to Middlesex 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
  • New Brunswick $353,800
  • Middlesex $462,900
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • New Brunswick $1,814
  • Middlesex $1,871
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • New Brunswick $65,810
  • Middlesex $111,549
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
New Brunswick next to Middlesex County and New Jersey
Measure New Brunswick Middlesex County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $353,800 $462,900 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,814 $1,871 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $65,810 $111,549 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 21% 64% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $6,316 $9,712 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.79% 2.1% 2.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 59% 48% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Middlesex 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 New Brunswick

For a typical $353,800 home in New Brunswick, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, New Brunswick's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,185a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $12,383
    Cash to close
    $22,997
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $156

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,120a month

    Down payment
    $17,690
    Cash to close
    $28,304
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $168

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,593a month

    Down payment
    $70,760
    Cash to close
    $81,374
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,920a month

    Down payment
    $53,070
    Cash to close
    $63,684
    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 New Brunswick and for Middlesex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in New Brunswick

1.79%of the home’s value each year

$6,316 a year for the typical owner in New Brunswick.

  • New Brunswick 1.79%
  • Middlesex 2.1%
  • 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 Middlesex County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
2,391
Of those, with NFIP insurance
54%
County New Jersey U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 6.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 54% 63% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in New Brunswick

Typical rent in New Brunswick is $1,814 a month: 3% below the county. In New Brunswick, 59% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Middlesex County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,623 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $50.44 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Middlesex 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 $1,953 $37.56 $78,120
1 bedroom $2,103 $40.44 $84,120
2 bedrooms $2,623 $50.44 $104,920
3 bedrooms $3,125 $60.10 $125,000
4 bedrooms $3,508 $67.46 $140,320

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 New Brunswick

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). New Brunswick is in ZIP code 08901.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,550: $73 less than the fair market rent for Middlesex County ($2,623).

  • 08901 $2,550$3,040

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick

HUD lists 18 buildings with rents for lower incomes in New Brunswick. These are the largest.

  • Schwartz HMS 159 Wright Pl, New Brunswick 08901 259 low-income homes · Run by New Brunswick Housing Authority · Average payment: $577 a month · Average wait: 62 months (732) 745-5157
  • John P. Fricano Apts. (Frank Schatzman Apts.) 90 Neilson St, New Brunswick 08901 213 low-income homes · For older adults
  • ST. Marys Apartments 260 Remsen Ave, New Brunswick 08901 133 homes, 132 low-income · For older adults
  • Riverside Urban Renewal 1 Riverside Dr, New Brunswick 76 low-income homes · 2 bd: 33 · 3 bd: 39 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2003 · For families
  • New Brunswick Homes Hope Vi Phase I 234 George St, New Brunswick 68 low-income homes · In service since 2002

See all 123 buildings in Middlesex County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in New Brunswick

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 3 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Middlesex County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

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

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in New Brunswick

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

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

Housing counselors near New Brunswick

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

  • Puerto Rican Action Board, Inc.

    754 Route 18, East Brunswick · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (732) 832-7535

  • Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, Inc.

    100 1st St, Perth Amboy · 9 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    (732) 638-2824

  • The Housing Authority of the City of Perth Amboy

    881 Amboy Avenue, Perth Amboy · 9 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    732-826-3110-631

Every agency in Middlesex County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near New Brunswick

2 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 New Brunswick

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

  • New Brunswick Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (732) 745-5157

8 other authorities have an office in Middlesex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Middlesex County

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

Everything about Middlesex County Housing in New Jersey
See 15 more cities in Middlesex County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to New Brunswick, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Middlesex 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 New Brunswick.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about New Brunswick

Short answers with the numbers for New Brunswick and all of Middlesex 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 New Brunswick?

The typical home value in New Brunswick is $353,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Middlesex County it is $462,900.

How much does it cost to rent in New Brunswick?

Typical rent in New Brunswick is $1,814 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Middlesex County is $2,623.

What is the FHA loan limit in New Brunswick?

New Brunswick uses the FHA limit for all of Middlesex 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 New Brunswick?

The typical homeowner in New Brunswick pays $6,316 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.79% of the home’s value; in Middlesex County, the rate is 2.1%.

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

There are 3 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Middlesex County. 2 say they serve 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).