Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Highland Park, New Jersey
A $464,000 home here costs
$4,095per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $175,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,530. The real number is $1,565 higher every month, 62% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Middlesex County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Highland Park against Middlesex County and New Jersey
| Measure | Highland Park | Middlesex County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $463,600 | $439,300 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $9,684 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.157% | 2.204% |
| Median gross rent | $1,881 | $1,810 |
| Population | 14,981 | 861,535 |
The weather behind that power bill
Highland Park sits in Middlesex County, which averages a high of 86.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.9°F in its coldest, with 49.53" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,037 cooling and 5,101 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Middlesex County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Middlesex County
Full Middlesex County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Highland Park averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Highland Park every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Highland Park I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Highland Park?
A $464,000 home in Highland Park, New Jersey costs approximately $4,095 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,530 principal and interest, $834 property tax, $114 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $387 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Highland Park?
Highland Park has an effective property tax rate of 2.157%, based on a median home value of $463,600 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Middlesex County average of 2.204%.
What is the average home price in Highland Park?
The median owner-occupied home value in Highland Park, New Jersey is $463,600, against $439,300 across Middlesex County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Highland Park?
Median gross rent in Highland Park is $1,881 a month, against $4,095 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Highland Park?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Highland Park, New Jersey at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $175,500 a year. That covers the full $4,095 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Highland Park, 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.