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City · 12,457 residents · Essex County, New Jersey

Upper Montclair , New Jersey

In Upper Montclair, a typical home is worth $989,000 and typical rent is $2,237 a month. Compared with all of Essex County, typical household income is 209% higher, the typical home value is 89% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 41 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $989,000

    89% above the county

    118% above New Jersey

    • Upper Montclair
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $2,237a month

    46% above the county

    30% above New Jersey

    • Upper Montclair
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $250,001a year

    209% above the county

    141% above New Jersey

    • Upper Montclair
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    86%

    41 points above the county

    22 points above New Jersey

    • Upper Montclair
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

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

Upper Montclair is in Essex 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 Essex County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Upper Montclair apart

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

  1. Upper Montclair has the highest typical household income of the 294 cities in New Jersey with more than 5,000 people: $250,001.

  2. 86% of households in Upper Montclair own their home, against 45% in Essex County.

  3. The typical home in Upper Montclair is worth $989,000, 89% more than in Essex County as a whole ($524,100).

  4. Nearby, in Clifton, the typical home value is $461,900: 53% less than in Upper Montclair ($989,000).

  5. The typical rent in Upper Montclair is $2,237 a month, 46% more than in Essex County as a whole ($1,531).

  6. Nearby, in Clifton, the typical rent is $1,711: 24% less than in Upper Montclair ($2,237).

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

The homes here

Housing in Upper Montclair

What homes there are in Upper Montclair, 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 houses, standing on their own, make up 79% of homes here, against 33% in Essex County.

Year built

The typical home in Upper Montclair was built before 1940, the oldest group the Census tells apart; 85% of homes date from before 1960.

In Upper Montclair, 82% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in Essex County (47%).

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

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Essex County: 68%

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 Upper Montclair rose 29% since 2015–2019, less than in Essex County (36%).

The typical rent in Upper Montclair 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

MeasureUpper MontclairEssex CountyNew JerseyUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.7%3.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate6.1%4.0%3.4%
People per household 3.062.632.622.53
Drive alone 35%53%62%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%8%9%
Public transit 17%16%8%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%3%
Work from home 43%16%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate4%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More people live in each home here: 3.06 on average, against 2.63 in Essex County.

Many people here do not commute at all: 43% work from home; in Essex County, 16%.

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 Upper Montclair?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Upper Montclair, worth $989,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 40% of the typical household income in Upper Montclair, which is $250,001 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $360,834 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Upper Montclair. 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 $34,615 (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

$8,419

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$971,087
Total interest
$1,397,166
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $16,702 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $5,833 a month

  • Tight

    $5,833 to $7,500 a month

  • Hard

    more than $7,500 a month

    Your payment · 40%

Compared with the typical household income in Upper Montclair ($250,001 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$8,419
Principal & interest$6,578
Property tax$832
Home insurance$412
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$596

You need at least $34,615 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

Upper Montclair and Essex County

Upper Montclair is in Essex 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).

Upper Montclair's own numbers

Typical home value
$989,000
Typical monthly rent
$2,237
Typical yearly household income
$250,001
Households that own their home
86%
Effective property tax rate
1.01%

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

Numbers for all of Essex 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
2.5%

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 Essex County.

Everything about Essex County

Buying

Buying a home in Upper Montclair

A typical home in Upper Montclair is worth $989,000: 89% above the county and 118% above New Jersey. With the typical household income in Upper Montclair ($250,001 a year), a typical home costs 4.0 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.

  • Upper Montclair 4.0 years
  • Essex 6.5 years
  • New Jersey 4.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Essex County

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

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

Period County New Jersey U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.8% +6.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +58% +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

Upper Montclair next to Essex 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
  • Upper Montclair $989,000
  • Essex $524,100
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Upper Montclair $2,237
  • Essex $1,531
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Upper Montclair $250,001
  • Essex $80,789
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Upper Montclair next to Essex County and New Jersey
Measure Upper Montclair Essex County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $989,000 $524,100 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,237 $1,531 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $250,001 $80,789 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 86% 45% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $10,001 $10,001 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.01% 1.91% 2.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 55% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Essex 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 Upper Montclair

For a typical $989,000 home in Upper Montclair, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Upper Montclair's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $8,419a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $34,615
    Cash to close
    $64,285
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $596

  • Conventional, 5% down $8,079a month

    Down payment
    $49,450
    Cash to close
    $79,120
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $470

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $6,604a month

    Down payment
    $197,800
    Cash to close
    $227,470
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $7,519a month

    Down payment
    $148,350
    Cash to close
    $178,020
    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 Upper Montclair and for Essex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Upper Montclair

1.01%of the home’s value each year

$10,001 a year for the typical owner in Upper Montclair.

  • Upper Montclair 1.01%
  • Essex 1.91%
  • 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 Essex County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.5%
3,710
Of those, with NFIP insurance
50%
County New Jersey U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.5% 6.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 50% 63% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Upper Montclair

Typical rent in Upper Montclair is $2,237 a month: 46% above the county. In Upper Montclair, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Essex 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 Essex 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 Upper Montclair

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Upper Montclair is in ZIP code 07043.

For 2 bedrooms it is $3,190: $957 more than the fair market rent for Essex County ($2,233).

  • 07043 $3,190$3,970

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

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Upper Montclair

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 7 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Essex County; 5 say they serve in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Upper Montclair

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

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

Housing counselors near Upper Montclair

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

  • Consumer Credit and Budget Counseling, DBA National Foundation for Debt Management

    26 Park St Ste 2000, Montclair · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (727) 755-8558

  • Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark

    590 N 7th St, Newark · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 3 more
    (973) 596-4100

  • Paterson Task Force for Community Action, Inc

    191 Market St, Paterson · 5 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    973-279-2333-135

Every agency in Essex County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near Upper Montclair

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 Upper Montclair

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Essex County is named for Upper Montclair or Essex County.

7 other authorities have an office in Essex County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Essex County

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

Everything about Essex County Housing in New Jersey

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Upper Montclair, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Essex 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 Upper Montclair.

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

Questions

Housing questions about Upper Montclair

Short answers with the numbers for Upper Montclair and all of Essex 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 Upper Montclair?

The typical home value in Upper Montclair is $989,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Essex County it is $524,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Upper Montclair?

Typical rent in Upper Montclair is $2,237 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Essex County is $2,233.

What is the FHA loan limit in Upper Montclair?

Upper Montclair uses the FHA limit for all of Essex 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 Upper Montclair?

The typical homeowner in Upper Montclair pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.01% of the home’s value; in Essex County, the rate is 1.91%.

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

There are 7 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Essex County. 5 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).