Union County, New Jersey Housing Market Prices
Union County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 23% above the New Jersey median Among the 3 most expensive counties in New Jersey$435,289
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Median rent 1% above the New Jersey median$1,730
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Union County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $435,289 | $352,792 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 6.8% | 4.4% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,730 | $1,719 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.9% | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Union County is about 23% higher than in New Jersey. Rent is about 1% higher than the New Jersey average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 6.8% and 4.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Union County rose about 47.5% between 2015 and 2024, from $1,173 to $1,730. Over the same span, rent in New Jersey rose about 44.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.2 yearly household incomes in Union County.
Buying the median-priced home in Union County costs roughly 21.0 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Union County. The price-to-rent ratio in New Jersey is about 17.1.
| Metric | Union County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $435,289 | $352,792 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $104,008 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Union County rose about 60.3%, while median household income rose about 48.3% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Union County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% | 59.1% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 40.8% | 33.5% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.3% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2010 | 2011 |
Union County has a homeownership rate of 54.9%, lower than the New Jersey average of 59.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.3%, compared with 7.5% in New Jersey.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Union County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.82 people | 2.61 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1962 | 1968 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Union County was built around 1962. On average, 2.8 people live in a home with about 5.5 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Union County, NJ Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, NJ is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 578,268 residents against a local median of 717,070. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Union County, NJ an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is homeownership, 10% below the local median at 57.4% against 63.7%. Union County, NJ has the 4th highest homeownership of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, NJ | 578,268 | $435,289 #3/6 | $1,730 #5/6 | 57.4% #4/6 |
| Essex County, NJ | 861,155 | $295,435 | $1,531 | 44.9% |
| Richmond County, NY | 494,794 | $552,254 | $1,732 | 67.8% |
| Middlesex County, NJ | 870,701 | $279,129 | $1,871 | 63.7% |
| Hudson County, NJ | 717,070 | $432,092 | $1,892 | 30.7% |
| Morris County, NJ | 514,287 | $539,796 | $1,903 | 74.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Union County, New Jersey.
What is the median home price in Union County, New Jersey?
The median home price in Union County, New Jersey is $435,289, higher than the New Jersey average of $352,792.
What is the average home price in Union County, New Jersey?
The typical home price in Union County, New Jersey, reported as the median sale price, is $435,289. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Union County, New Jersey?
The median gross rent in Union County, New Jersey is $1,730 per month, higher than the New Jersey average of $1,719.
What was the median gross rent in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Union County, New Jersey was $1,335 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Union County, New Jersey?
The price-to-rent ratio in Union County, New Jersey is about 21.0, meaning it would take roughly 21.0 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Union County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Union County, New Jersey?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Union County, up about 6.8% and 4.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Union County, New Jersey?
54.9% of households in Union County, New Jersey own their home, lower than the New Jersey average of 59.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Union County, New Jersey?
The housing vacancy rate in Union County, New Jersey is 4.3%, lower than the New Jersey average of 7.5%.
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