Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lakewood, New Jersey
A $618,000 home here costs
$5,157per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $221,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,423. The real number is $1,734 higher every month, 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Ocean 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.
Lakewood against Ocean County and New Jersey
| Measure | Lakewood | Ocean County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $618,400 | $366,600 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $6,499 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.617% | 1.773% |
| Median gross rent | $1,647 | $1,702 |
| Population | 69,884 | 646,434 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lakewood sits in Ocean County, which averages a high of 85.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.7°F in its coldest, with 52.04" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 861 cooling and 5,328 heating degree days, which is what sets the $167 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ocean County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ocean County
Full Ocean County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Lakewood 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 Lakewood every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Lakewood I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lakewood?
A $618,000 home in Lakewood, New Jersey costs approximately $5,157 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $3,423 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $151 homeowners insurance, $235 utilities and $515 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lakewood?
Lakewood has an effective property tax rate of 1.617%, based on a median home value of $618,400 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Ocean County average of 1.773%.
What is the average home price in Lakewood?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lakewood, New Jersey is $618,400, against $366,600 across Ocean County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lakewood?
Median gross rent in Lakewood is $1,647 a month, against $5,157 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 Lakewood?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lakewood, New Jersey at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $221,000 a year. That covers the full $5,157 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lakewood, 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.