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City · 55,236 residents · Union County, New Jersey

Plainfield , New Jersey

In Plainfield, a typical home is worth $410,800 and typical rent is $1,767 a month. Compared with all of Union County, the typical home value is 22% lower, typical household income is 17% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 13 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $410,800

    22% below the county

    10% below New Jersey

    • Plainfield
    • Union
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $1,767a month

    2% above the county

    3% above New Jersey

    • Plainfield
    • Union
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $85,908a year

    17% below the county

    17% below New Jersey

    • Plainfield
    • Union
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    45%

    13 points below the county

    19 points below New Jersey

    • Plainfield
    • Union
    • New Jersey

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$516,503
0.6% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,191 a month

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

Plainfield 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

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Plainfield apart

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

  1. The typical home in Plainfield is worth $410,800, 22% less than in Union County as a whole ($529,200).

  2. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Plainfield rose 0.6%; in New Jersey, it rose 4%.

  3. 45% of households in Plainfield own their home, against 57% in Union County.

  4. The typical household income in Plainfield is $85,908, 17% less than in Union County as a whole ($103,202).

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

The homes here

Housing in Plainfield

What homes there are in Plainfield, 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

No kind of home is the majority in Plainfield; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 42%, less than in Union County (50%).

Year built

Homes in Plainfield are older: the typical year built is 1952; in Union County, 1956.

Much as in Union County, 58% of homes in Plainfield have 3 bedrooms or more.

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

About 76% of rented homes in Plainfield cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Union County ($2,233).

With a mortgage

$2,689 a month

Union County: $3,203 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,264 a month

Union County: $1,438 a month

Owners with a mortgage

78%

Union County: 67%

In Plainfield, 78% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,689 a month, against $3,203 in Union County. Without one it drops to $1,264.

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 Plainfield rose 60%; in Union County, it rose 44%.

Rents in Plainfield rose faster than in Union County: 46% since 2015–2019, against 34%.

To compare: typical income in Plainfield rose 53%; the home, +60%; the rent, +46%.

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

MeasurePlainfieldUnion CountyNew JerseyUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.6%3.1%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 15.0%5.8%4.0%3.4%
People per household 3.412.822.622.53
Drive alone 58%61%62%69%
Carpool 7%9%8%9%
Public transit 5%9%8%3%
Walk or bike 2%3%3%3%
Work from home 7%14%17%15%
Other means 21%4%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Plainfield look like those in Union County: the rental vacancy rate is 3.6%.

In Plainfield, 15.0% of households live with more than one person per room, against 5.8% in Union County.

Households in Plainfield are bigger: 3.41 people on average; in Union County, 2.82.

To get to work, 58% of workers in Plainfield drive alone; in Union County, 61%.

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 Plainfield?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Plainfield, worth $410,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 55% of the typical household income in Plainfield, which is $85,908 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $167,588 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Plainfield. 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 $14,378 (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

$3,910

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$403,359
Total interest
$580,340
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $6,937 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,005 a month

  • Tight

    $2,005 to $2,577 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,577 a month

    Your payment · 55%

Compared with the typical household income in Plainfield ($85,908 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,910
Principal & interest$2,732
Property tax$825
Home insurance$171
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$182

You need at least $14,378 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

Plainfield and Union County

Plainfield 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).

Plainfield's own numbers

Typical home value
$410,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,767
Typical yearly household income
$85,908
Households that own their home
45%
Effective property tax rate
2.41%

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.

Everything about Union County

Buying

Buying a home in Plainfield

A typical home in Plainfield is worth $410,800: 22% below the county and 10% below New Jersey. With the typical household income in Plainfield ($85,908 a year), a typical home costs 4.8 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.

  • Plainfield 4.8 years
  • Union 5.1 years
  • New Jersey 4.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in 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.

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

Plainfield 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
  • Plainfield $410,800
  • Union $529,200
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Plainfield $1,767
  • Union $1,730
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Plainfield $85,908
  • Union $103,202
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Plainfield next to Union County and New Jersey
Measure Plainfield Union County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $410,800 $529,200 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,767 $1,730 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $85,908 $103,202 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 45% 57% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $9,920 $10,001 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.41% 1.89% 2.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 56% 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 Plainfield

For a typical $410,800 home in Plainfield, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Plainfield's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,910a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,378
    Cash to close
    $26,702
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $182

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,835a month

    Down payment
    $20,540
    Cash to close
    $32,864
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $195

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $3,223a month

    Down payment
    $82,160
    Cash to close
    $94,484
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,602a month

    Down payment
    $61,620
    Cash to close
    $73,944
    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 Plainfield and for Union County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Plainfield

2.41%of the home’s value each year

$9,920 a year for the typical owner in Plainfield.

  • Plainfield 2.41%
  • Union 1.89%
  • 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 Union County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.9%
4,874
Of those, with NFIP insurance
49%
County New Jersey U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.9% 6.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 49% 63% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Plainfield

Typical rent in Plainfield is $1,767 a month: 2% above the county. In Plainfield, 56% 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.

HUD fair market rent for all of Union 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 $1,637 $31.48 $65,480
1 bedroom $1,850 $35.58 $74,000
2 bedrooms $2,233 $42.94 $89,320
3 bedrooms $2,785 $53.56 $111,400
4 bedrooms $3,188 $61.31 $127,520

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 Plainfield

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Plainfield has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,360 in 07060 to $2,470 in 07062.

3 of the 3 are above the fair market rent for Union County ($2,233).

  • 07060 $2,360$2,890
  • 07062 $2,470$3,070
  • 07063 $2,430$3,000

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Plainfield 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 Plainfield

HUD lists 22 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Plainfield. These are the largest.

  • Richmond TWS 520 E Front St, Plainfield 07060 225 homes, 219 low-income · Run by Plainfield Housing Authority · Average payment: $387 a month · Average wait: 14 months (908) 769-6335
  • Leland Gardens 1227 E Front St, Plainfield 256 homes, 180 low-income · In service since 2000
  • Plainfield Tower West 601 W 7th St, Plainfield 154 low-income homes · In service since 2008
  • Plainfield Tower West 601 W 7th St, Plainfield 07060 154 low-income homes · For older adults
  • Joanne Hollis Gardens 305 Plainfield Ave, Plainfield 07060 128 homes, 125 low-income · Run by Plainfield Housing Authority · Average payment: $635 a month · Average wait: 20 months (908) 769-6335

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Plainfield

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.

A man smiles on a bench outside his apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Plainfield

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

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

Housing counselors near Plainfield

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

  • NEIGHBORHOODS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE fka NHS of Staten Island

    1120 E Saint Georges Ave, Linden · 9 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 3 more
    (908) 808-4035

  • The Housing Authority of the City of Perth Amboy

    881 Amboy Avenue, Perth Amboy · 10 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

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

  • Central Jersey Housing Resource Center, Inc.

    92 E Main St, Somerville · 11 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 7 more
    (908) 446-0036

Every agency in Union County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near Plainfield

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 Plainfield

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

  • Plainfield Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (908) 769-6335
  • Union County Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers (732) 382-8100

5 other authorities have an office in Union County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Union County

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

Everything about Union County Housing in New Jersey

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Union 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 Plainfield.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Plainfield

Short answers with the numbers for Plainfield 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 Plainfield?

The typical home value in Plainfield is $410,800, 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 Plainfield?

Typical rent in Plainfield is $1,767 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 Plainfield?

Plainfield 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 Plainfield?

The typical homeowner in Plainfield pays $9,920 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.41% of the home’s value; in Union County, the rate is 1.89%.

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

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.

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).