Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 8,232 residents · Essex County, New Jersey

Watsessing , New Jersey

In Watsessing, a typical home is worth $435,400 and typical rent is $2,026 a month. Compared with all of Essex County, typical rent is 32% higher, typical household income is 28% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 13 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $435,400

    17% below the county

    4% below New Jersey

    • Watsessing
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical rent

    $2,026a month

    32% above the county

    18% above New Jersey

    • Watsessing
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Typical household income

    $103,378a year

    28% above the county

    About the same as New Jersey

    • Watsessing
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

  • Households that own their home

    32%

    13 points below the county

    32 points below New Jersey

    • Watsessing
    • Essex
    • New Jersey

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

Watsessing 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 Watsessing apart

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

  1. Watsessing has the 14th lowest homeownership rate of the 293 cities in New Jersey with more than 5,000 people (32%).

  2. Nearby, in East Orange, the typical rent is $1,441: 29% less than in Watsessing ($2,026).

  3. The typical rent in Watsessing is $2,026 a month, 32% more than in Essex County as a whole ($1,531).

  4. The typical household income in Watsessing is $103,378, 28% more than in Essex County as a whole ($80,789).

  5. Nearby, in Ampere North, the typical home value is $365,600: 16% less than in Watsessing ($435,400).

  6. The typical home in Watsessing is worth $435,400, 17% less than in Essex County as a whole ($524,100).

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

The homes here

Housing in Watsessing

What homes there are in Watsessing, 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 Watsessing, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 50%, against 31% in Essex County.

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

$3,048 a month

Essex County: $3,322 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,188 a month

Essex County: $1,500 or more a month

Owners with a mortgage

87%

Essex County: 68%

Owning costs less in Watsessing: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $3,048 a month; in Essex County, $3,322. Without one, $1,188.

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

Watsessing does not have the same boundaries as in 2015–2019: that is why there is no change to compare. For reference, in Essex County the typical home value rose 36%.

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

MeasureWatsessingEssex 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 2.252.632.622.53
Drive alone 50%53%62%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%8%9%
Public transit 12%16%8%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%3%
Work from home 27%16%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate4%2%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Watsessing are smaller: 2.25 people on average; in Essex County, 2.63.

In Watsessing, 27% of workers work from home, more than 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 Watsessing?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Watsessing, worth $435,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 48% of the typical household income in Watsessing, which is $103,378 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $175,913 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 Watsessing. 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 $15,239 (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

$4,105

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$427,514
Total interest
$615,092
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,353 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,412 a month

  • Tight

    $2,412 to $3,101 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,101 a month

    Your payment · 48%

Compared with the typical household income in Watsessing ($103,378 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$4,105
Principal & interest$2,896
Property tax$835
Home insurance$181
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$193

You need at least $15,239 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

Watsessing and Essex County

Watsessing 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).

Watsessing's own numbers

Typical home value
$435,400
Typical monthly rent
$2,026
Typical yearly household income
$103,378
Households that own their home
32%
Effective property tax rate
2.3%

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 Watsessing

A typical home in Watsessing is worth $435,400: 17% below the county and 4% below New Jersey. With the typical household income in Watsessing ($103,378 a year), a typical home costs 4.2 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.

  • Watsessing 4.2 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

Watsessing 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
  • Watsessing $435,400
  • Essex $524,100
  • New Jersey $454,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Watsessing $2,026
  • Essex $1,531
  • New Jersey $1,720
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Watsessing $103,378
  • Essex $80,789
  • New Jersey $103,556
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Watsessing next to Essex County and New Jersey
Measure Watsessing Essex County New Jersey U.S.
Typical home value $435,400 $524,100 $454,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,026 $1,531 $1,720 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $103,378 $80,789 $103,556 $80,734
Households that own their home 32% 45% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $10,001 $10,001 $9,590 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.3% 1.91% 2.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 40% 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 Watsessing

For a typical $435,400 home in Watsessing, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Watsessing's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $4,105a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $15,239
    Cash to close
    $28,301
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $193

  • Conventional, 5% down $4,025a month

    Down payment
    $21,770
    Cash to close
    $34,832
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $207

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $3,376a month

    Down payment
    $87,080
    Cash to close
    $100,142
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,778a month

    Down payment
    $65,310
    Cash to close
    $78,372
    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 Watsessing and for Essex County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Watsessing

2.3%of the home’s value each year

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

  • Watsessing 2.3%
  • 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 Watsessing

Typical rent in Watsessing is $2,026 a month: 32% above the county. In Watsessing, 40% 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 Watsessing

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Watsessing is in ZIP code 07003.

For 2 bedrooms it is $2,600: $367 more than the fair market rent for Essex County ($2,233).

  • 07003 $2,600$3,240

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

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.

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

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Watsessing

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

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

Housing counselors near Watsessing

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

  • Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark

    590 N 7th St, Newark · 2 miles away · Spanish

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

  • 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

  • Urban League of Essex County

    508 Central Ave, Newark · 3 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (973) 624-9535

Every agency in Essex County All counseling agencies in New Jersey

Help in Spanish near Watsessing

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 Watsessing

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

All guides
Two girls write and draw together at the living-room table.

Questions

Housing questions about Watsessing

Short answers with the numbers for Watsessing 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 Watsessing?

The typical home value in Watsessing is $435,400, 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 Watsessing?

Typical rent in Watsessing is $2,026 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 Watsessing?

Watsessing 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 Watsessing?

The typical homeowner in Watsessing pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.3% of the home’s value; in Essex County, the rate is 1.91%.

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

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).