Cost to Own
United StatesNew JerseyMiddlesex CountyMetuchen Population 14,982 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Metuchen, New Jersey

A $565,000 home here costs

$4,624

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,905. The real number is $1,719 higher every month — 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Metuchen median: $565,400
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, $452,000 borrowed $2,905
Property tax1.769% effective rate for Metuchen itself $833
Homeowners insuranceNew Jersey averages $1,309/yr (NAIC), or 0.294% of home value $138
Electricity23.27¢/kWh — New Jersey residential average, EIA $209
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $471
Total monthly $4,624

Metuchen against Middlesex County and New Jersey

MeasureMetuchenMiddlesex County
Median home value$565,400$439,300
Median property tax$10,001$9,684
Effective tax rate1.769%2.204%
Median gross rent$2,019$1,810
Population14,982861,535

The weather behind that power bill

Metuchen 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 $209 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

Common questions

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

A $565,000 home in Metuchen, New Jersey costs approximately $4,624 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,905 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $138 homeowners insurance, $277 utilities and $471 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Metuchen?

Metuchen has an effective property tax rate of 1.769%, based on a median home value of $565,400 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 Metuchen?

The median owner-occupied home value in Metuchen, New Jersey is $565,400, against $439,300 across Middlesex County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Metuchen?

Median gross rent in Metuchen is $2,019 a month, against $4,624 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 Metuchen — 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