Cost to Own
United StatesNew JerseyMercer CountyPennington Population 2,798 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Pennington, New Jersey

A $608,000 home here costs

$4,892

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,126. The real number is $1,766 higher every month — 56% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Pennington median: $608,200
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, $486,400 borrowed $3,126
Property tax1.644% effective rate for Pennington itself $833
Homeowners insuranceNew Jersey averages $1,309/yr (NAIC), or 0.294% of home value $149
Electricity23.27¢/kWh — New Jersey residential average, EIA $209
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $507
Total monthly $4,892

Pennington against Mercer County and New Jersey

MeasurePenningtonMercer County
Median home value$608,200$351,000
Median property tax$10,001$8,804
Effective tax rate1.644%2.508%
Median gross rent$1,819$1,515
Population2,798383,286

The weather behind that power bill

Pennington sits in Mercer County, which averages a high of 86.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.3°F in its coldest, with 45.63" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,050 cooling and 4,977 heating degree days, which is what sets the $209 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Mercer County

Full Mercer County cost breakdown · Every county in New Jersey

Common questions

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

A $608,000 home in Pennington, New Jersey costs approximately $4,892 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,126 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $149 homeowners insurance, $277 utilities and $507 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Pennington?

Pennington has an effective property tax rate of 1.644%, based on a median home value of $608,200 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Mercer County average of 2.508%.

What is the average home price in Pennington?

The median owner-occupied home value in Pennington, New Jersey is $608,200, against $351,000 across Mercer County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pennington?

Median gross rent in Pennington is $1,819 a month, against $4,892 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 Pennington — 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