Local costs · New Jersey
What it costs to own a home in Bergen County, New Jersey
The real property-tax rate, risk-adjusted insurance, and honest closing costs for Bergen County — with the all-in monthly cost of the area’s median-priced home and the income it takes to carry it comfortably.
The headline numbers
US Census, ACS 2024 5-year · approximate (top-coded)
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The “median home” here is the New Jersey statewide median owner-occupied value ($496,000, US Census ACS 2024 1-year) — no county-level median is available in our data, so it is labeled as a state figure. The all-in monthly uses the real-life basis: loan payment $2,490, property tax $663, insurance $88, maintenance $413 (1%/yr rule of thumb), and utilities $275 (a placeholder, not yet sourced). With 20% down there is no mortgage insurance.
Local risk flags
From the FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025). Covered perils show up as insurance-premium pressure; flood and earthquake are called out because a standard policy excludes them.
Severe straight-line wind risk in this county can push premiums above the state average.
High flood risk — standard policies don't cover flood; check the address's flood zone and price a separate policy.
Severe winter-storm risk in this county can push premiums above the state average.
Closing costs, in detail
Total transfer/recording tax $4,137: buyer's customary share $0, seller's customary share $4,137. NJ realty transfer fee: $4,137 (seller-paid).
- Transfer & recording tax
- On the $496,000 median home, the buyer’s customary share is about $0, with roughly $4,137 customarily paid by the seller. Only the buyer’s share is counted in the closing-cost estimate above.
- Title insurance & settlement
- New Jersey uses competitive (filed) rates. Estimated $2,452–$3,317 on this home. Modeled title insurance + settlement (national declining-rate curve, ~0.58% of price at this level). Not a state-promulgated rate.
- Lender and origination
- $1,984–$3,968. Modeled as 0.5-1.0% of loan amount.
- Appraisal, inspection, and reports
- $900–$1,800. Flat buyer-paid diligence estimate.
- Prepaids and escrow
- $2,919–$4,422. Initial escrow deposit for taxes and insurance.
Frequently asked
- What is the property tax rate in Bergen County, NJ?
- The effective property tax rate in Bergen County is 1.60% of home value per year (US Census, ACS 2024 5-year). That is lower than the New Jersey average of 2.08% and higher than the national average of 0.92%.
- How much is homeowners insurance in Bergen County?
- A typical homeowners policy runs about $1,060 per year (range $690–$1,540) at the New Jersey median home value of $496,000. This is a county-adjusted estimate scaled from the NAIC state average; a real quote depends on the home and coverage.
- What are typical closing costs on a $496,000 home in Bergen County?
- Estimated buyer closing costs run about $8,355–$13,907 on a $496,000 home — lender fees, title and settlement, the buyer's customary share of transfer and recording taxes, and prepaid taxes and insurance.
- What income do you need to afford the median home in Bergen County?
- A household income of about $225,284 per year makes the $496,000 median home here comfortable by our math — housing under about 28% of take-home pay with room left for everyday spending, assuming 20% down at this week's 6.43% 30-year rate.
- What is the all-in monthly cost of the median home in Bergen County?
- About $3,930 per month for the $496,000 median home with 20% down at 6.43% — the loan payment, property tax, home insurance, maintenance, and an estimated utilities figure.
Run your own numbers
These figures use the area median and a 20%-down example. Put in your own price, down payment, income, and debts to see whether it’s comfortable for you.
Open the calculator for Bergen CountyMore counties in New Jersey
Sources & vintages
- Property tax: US Census American Community Survey, county effective rate (ACS 2024 5-year). Median real estate taxes are top-coded by the Census at $10,000+, so the true effective rate is likely higher than shown.
- Home insurance: NAIC state average premium (2022 · FEMA NRI December 2025), scaled by FEMA National Risk Index covered-peril risk; range modeled.
- Median home value: US Census, New Jersey statewide median owner-occupied value (ACS 2024 1-year) — used as a state-level stand-in for a county median.
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac 30-year fixed weekly average via FRED, as of 2026-07-02.
- Transfer taxes & title: researched state/local schedules; utilities and the household baseline are labeled placeholders.
Estimates, not advice, and not a Loan Estimate. Every number is computed from public data or our own math — see the methodology for how, and where the honest gaps are.