Cost to Own
United StatesNew JerseySomerset CountyBernardsville Population 7,871 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Bernardsville, New Jersey

A $738,000 home here costs

$5,701

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,794. The real number is $1,907 higher every month — 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Bernardsville median: $737,600
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $590,400 borrowed $3,794
Property tax1.356% effective rate for Bernardsville itself $834
Homeowners insuranceNew Jersey averages $1,309/yr (NAIC), or 0.294% of home value $181
Electricity23.27¢/kWh — New Jersey residential average, EIA $209
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $615
Total monthly $5,701

Bernardsville against Somerset County and New Jersey

MeasureBernardsvilleSomerset County
Median home value$737,600$523,900
Median property tax$10,001$10,001
Effective tax rate1.356%1.909%
Median gross rent$2,155$1,921
Population7,871346,203

The weather behind that power bill

Bernardsville sits in Somerset County, which averages a high of 86.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.6°F in its coldest, with 45.49" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 859 cooling and 5,385 heating degree days, which is what sets the $209 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Somerset County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Somerset County

Full Somerset County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Bernardsville?

A $738,000 home in Bernardsville, New Jersey costs approximately $5,701 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,794 principal and interest, $834 property tax, $181 homeowners insurance, $277 utilities and $615 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Bernardsville?

Bernardsville has an effective property tax rate of 1.356%, based on a median home value of $737,600 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Somerset County average of 1.909%.

What is the average home price in Bernardsville?

The median owner-occupied home value in Bernardsville, New Jersey is $737,600, against $523,900 across Somerset County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bernardsville?

Median gross rent in Bernardsville is $2,155 a month, against $5,701 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bernardsville — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New Jersey.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology