Somerset County, New Jersey property tax
The median homeowner in Somerset County, New Jersey pays $10,001 a year in property tax on a home worth $523,900, an effective rate of 1.91%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.91%, Somerset County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Unusually, the housing is not cheap either. A rate above the national average on a home worth $523,900 produces a bill of $10,001, and both halves of that are working against the owner.
It ranks #15 of 21 New Jersey counties by effective rate, against a statewide 2.23%, and #117 nationally. The state runs from 3.08% in Camden County down to 1.32% in Cape May County.
The median home costs 3.85 times the median household income of $135,960, close to the national 3.86. Incomes here run above the national median, which is what keeps that ratio ordinary despite the house prices. At 346,203 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Somerset County | New Jersey | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.91% | 2.23% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $10,001 | $9,541 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $523,900 | $427,600 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,921 | $1,653 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $135,960 | $101,050 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.85× | 4.23× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 16.95% | 19.63% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 74.47% | 63.69% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 346,203.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 2.51% | $8,804 | $351,000 |
| Gloucester County | 2.81% | $7,964 | $283,500 |
| Atlantic County | 2.47% | $6,749 | $272,700 |
| Burlington County | 2.42% | $7,902 | $326,700 |
| Morris County | 1.80% | $10,001 | $557,000 |
Somerset County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Somerset County, New Jersey?
The effective rate is 1.91% of home value, from a median tax bill of $10,001 against a median home value of $523,900. That is 0.93 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Somerset County?
Roughly $7,640 a year at the county effective rate of 1.91%.
Is Somerset County expensive compared with the rest of New Jersey?
It ranks #15 of 21 New Jersey counties by effective property tax rate, and #117 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.32 points below the New Jersey average of 2.23%.
What does housing cost in Somerset County?
The median home is worth $523,900 and median gross rent is $1,921 a month. Median household income is $135,960, which puts the home at 3.85 times annual income and rent at 16.95% of it.