States › New Jersey › Bernardsville

Is Bernardsville, NJ expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 12 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,53545% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$254,650about $21,221/month · 192% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$793,800139% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 86% of U.S. cities. Household incomes are higher than in 100% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.1 years of household income. Most homes (94.6%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find. It is a highly educated city: 72.9% of adults have a college degree.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $101,400 a year. That is $49 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other New Jersey cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of New Jersey. It is number 198 of 291 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Bernardsville
$2,535
Basking Ridge
$602
Dunellen
$2,025
Glen Ridge
$3,010
Dayton
$2,426
Fort Dix
$2,710
Pomona
$1,194

How much do households earn in Bernardsville?

Under $25k
0.9%
$25k–50k
5.2%
$50k–100k
20.0%
$100k–150k
14.4%
$150k+
59.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 74.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Bernardsville

SizeBernardsvilleU.S. average
2 bedrooms$2,820$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,725$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Bernardsville overall?

Everyday prices in New Jersey overall are 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
134
Goods (food, clothes…)
107
Utilities
114
Other services
104
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Bernardsville, so the New Jersey figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Bernardsville

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 1.26% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$174a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Bernardsville

Commute to work28.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree72.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home94.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line1.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.3%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bernardsville?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $2,973 a month less.

Renting
$2,535
Owning
$5,508

Owning assumes a typical $793,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $79,380 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bernardsville, NJ?

Renting in Bernardsville costs a median of about $2,535 a month in 2026, including utilities. The New Jersey median is $2,240.

How much do I need to make to live in Bernardsville?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $101,400 a year, or $49 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Bernardsville cheap or expensive?

Bernardsville is rated Cheap: rent takes 11.9% of the typical household income of $254,650. It ranks 198th cheapest of 291 New Jersey cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Bernardsville?

The median homeowner in Bernardsville pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 1.26% of the median home value.

Is Bernardsville more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in New Jersey are 9% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Bernardsville?

The median home value in Bernardsville is $793,800, about 3.1 times the typical yearly household income.

7,916 people live in Bernardsville. Numbers are typical (middle) values.