Essex County, NJ Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Essex County, New Jersey is about $652,000 (the 2026 median across 31 ZIP codes, at ~$341/sq ft) — 14% more expensive than the New Jersey median and 126% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Essex County compares
Essex County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $652,000 against $573,000 for New Jersey and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $399,000 to $2,380,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County | $652,000 | $341 |
| New Jersey | $573,000 | $327 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Essex County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Essex County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Essex County (of 31 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07078 Short Hills | $2,380,000 | $570 | +265% |
| 07021 Essex Fells | $1,467,000 | $562 | +125% |
| 07043 Montclair | $1,392,000 | $434 | +113% |
| 07041 Millburn | $1,304,000 | $641 | +100% |
| 07028 Glen Ridge | $1,162,000 | $543 | +78% |
| 07039 Livingston | $1,092,000 | $550 | +67% |
| 07079 South Orange | $1,066,000 | $321 | +63% |
| 07040 Maplewood | $960,000 | $371 | +47% |
| 07042 Montclair | $934,000 | $467 | +43% |
| 07006 West Caldwell | $848,000 | $345 | +30% |
| 07068 Roseland | $824,000 | $358 | +26% |
| 07004 Fairfield | $815,000 | $332 | +25% |
| 07009 Cedar Grove | $771,000 | $341 | +18% |
| 07044 Verona | $760,000 | $387 | +17% |
| 07052 West Orange | $690,000 | $346 | +6% |
Home value appreciation in Essex County
Home prices in Essex County have risen about 87% over the last 10 years (≈6.5% a year) and +79.9% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +5.8% — still rising. A home worth $652,000 today was worth roughly $348,477 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, New Jersey is +87.7% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Essex County
Run the numbers for Essex County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Essex County
To buy the typical $652,000 home in Essex County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $177,000 a year (about $4,140 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $211,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $32,600 | $5,140/mo | $220,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $65,200 | $4,920/mo | $211,000/yr |
| 20% | $130,400 | $4,140/mo | $177,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Essex County
At about $341 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Essex County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $300k | 880 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 1170 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $500k | 1470 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $600k | 1760 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $750k | 2200 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to New Jersey.
Estimate a specific home in Essex County
Enter your ZIP and size for an instant estimate tailored to your exact area:
Essex County home prices: frequently asked
What is the average home price in Essex County, NJ? +
What salary do you need to buy a house in Essex County? +
Which part of Essex County is most expensive? +
Are home values in Essex County going up? +
Browse all New Jersey cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.