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City · 9,989 residents · Middlesex County, New Jersey

South Amboy , New Jersey

In South Amboy, a typical home is worth $379,700 and typical rent is $1,707 a month. Compared with all of Middlesex County, the typical home value is 18% lower, typical household income is 18% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 7 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $379,700

    18% below the county

    16% below New Jersey

    • South Amboy
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $1,707a month

    9% below the county

    About the same as New Jersey

    • South Amboy
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $91,997a year

    18% below the county

    11% below New Jersey

    • South Amboy
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    56%

    7 points below the county

    7 points below New Jersey

    • South Amboy
    • Middlesex
    • New Jersey

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$521,809
2.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,500 a month
3% more than 12 months ago

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

South Amboy 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 South Amboy apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Laurence Harbor, the typical home value is $306,700: 19% less than in South Amboy ($379,700).

  2. The typical home in South Amboy is worth $379,700, 18% less than in Middlesex County as a whole ($462,900).

  3. The typical household income in South Amboy is $91,997, 18% less than in Middlesex County as a whole ($111,549).

  4. 56% of households in South Amboy own their home, against 64% in Middlesex County.

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

The homes here

Housing in South Amboy

What homes there are in South Amboy, 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

In South Amboy there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (45%); in Middlesex County, 52%.

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

$2,500 a month

Middlesex County: $2,877 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,140 a month

Middlesex County: $1,242 a month

Owners with a mortgage

63%

Middlesex County: 63%

In South Amboy, 63% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,500 a month, against $2,877 in Middlesex County. Without one it drops to $1,140.

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

The typical home value in South Amboy rose 29% since 2015–2019, less than in Middlesex County (35%).

The typical rent in South Amboy 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

MeasureSouth AmboyMiddlesex CountyNew JerseyUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.4%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate5.5%4.0%3.4%
People per household 2.352.752.622.53
Drive alone 64%61%62%69%
Carpool 13%8%8%9%
Public transit 11%6%8%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%3%
Work from home 11%18%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate4%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.35 on average, against 2.75 in Middlesex County.

Public transit matters here: 11% of workers take it to work, against 6% 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 South Amboy?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in South Amboy, worth $379,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 46% of the typical household income in South Amboy, which is $91,997 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $151,917 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 South Amboy. 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 $13,290 (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

$3,545

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$372,822
Total interest
$536,404
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $6,412 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,147 a month

  • Tight

    $2,147 to $2,760 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,760 a month

    Your payment · 46%

Compared with the typical household income in South Amboy ($91,997 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,545
Principal & interest$2,526
Property tax$693
Home insurance$158
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$168

You need at least $13,290 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

South Amboy and Middlesex County

South Amboy 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).

South Amboy's own numbers

Typical home value
$379,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,707
Typical yearly household income
$91,997
Households that own their home
56%
Effective property tax rate
2.19%

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 South Amboy

A typical home in South Amboy is worth $379,700: 18% below the county and 16% below New Jersey. With the typical household income in South Amboy ($91,997 a year), a typical home costs 4.1 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.

  • South Amboy 4.1 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

South Amboy 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
  • South Amboy $379,700
  • Middlesex $462,900
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • South Amboy $1,707
  • Middlesex $1,871
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • South Amboy $91,997
  • Middlesex $111,549
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
South Amboy next to Middlesex County and New Jersey
Measure South Amboy Middlesex County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $379,700 $462,900 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,707 $1,871 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $91,997 $111,549 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 56% 64% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $8,303 $9,712 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.19% 2.1% 2.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 42% 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 South Amboy

For a typical $379,700 home in South Amboy, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, South Amboy's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,545a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $13,290
    Cash to close
    $24,681
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $168

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,475a month

    Down payment
    $18,985
    Cash to close
    $30,376
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $180

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,909a month

    Down payment
    $75,940
    Cash to close
    $87,331
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,260a month

    Down payment
    $56,955
    Cash to close
    $68,346
    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 South Amboy and for Middlesex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in South Amboy

2.19%of the home’s value each year

$8,303 a year for the typical owner in South Amboy.

  • South Amboy 2.19%
  • 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 South Amboy

Typical rent in South Amboy is $1,707 a month: 9% below the county. In South Amboy, 42% 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 South Amboy

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). South Amboy is in ZIP code 08879.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,420: $203 less than the fair market rent for Middlesex County ($2,623).

  • 08879 $2,420$2,880

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

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in South Amboy. These are the largest.

  • Dohaney 250 S Broadway, South Amboy 08879 152 low-income homes · Run by South Amboy Housing Authority · Average payment: $547 a month · Average wait: 9 months (732) 721-1831
  • Hillcrest Manor 2097 State Route 35, South Amboy 62 low-income homes · In service since 2009 · For older adults
  • Robert Noble Manor 241 Gordon St, South Amboy 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 40 · In service since 2010
  • #733 Hillcrest Manor 2097 Highway 35, South Amboy 08879 62 homes · In service since 2009
  • Litc#0908 Robert Noble Manor 241 Gordon St, South Amboy 08879 40 homes · In service since 2010

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in South Amboy

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 South Amboy

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

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

Housing counselors near South Amboy

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

  • Puerto Rican Association for Human Development, Inc.

    100 1st St, Perth Amboy · 1 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 · 3 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

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

  • Puerto Rican Action Board, Inc.

    754 Route 18, East Brunswick · 7 miles away · Spanish

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

Every agency in Middlesex County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near South Amboy

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 South Amboy

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

  • South Amboy Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (732) 721-1831

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 South Amboy, 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 South Amboy.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about South Amboy

Short answers with the numbers for South Amboy 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 South Amboy?

The typical home value in South Amboy is $379,700, 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 South Amboy?

Typical rent in South Amboy is $1,707 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 South Amboy?

South Amboy 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 South Amboy?

The typical homeowner in South Amboy pays $8,303 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.19% of the home’s value; in Middlesex County, the rate is 2.1%.

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

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).