States › New Jersey › Dunellen

Is Dunellen, NJ expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 26 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,02515% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$93,794about $7,816/month · 8% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$393,50018% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 70% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.2 years of household income. Commutes are long, about 31.7 minutes each way.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $81,000 a year. That is $39 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other New Jersey cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of New Jersey. It is number 102 of 291 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Dunellen
$2,025
Bernardsville
$2,535
Basking Ridge
$602
Glen Ridge
$3,010
Dayton
$2,426
Fort Dix
$2,710
Crestwood Village
$1,264

How much do households earn in Dunellen?

Under $25k
5.7%
$25k–50k
22.5%
$50k–100k
28.6%
$100k–150k
19.3%
$150k+
16.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 35.2% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Dunellen

SizeDunellenU.S. average
Studio$1,602$1,338
1 bedroom$1,309$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,016$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,237$1,698

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

How expensive is Dunellen 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 Dunellen, so the New Jersey figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Dunellen

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 2.54% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$211a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Dunellen

Commute to work31.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree28.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home61.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line22.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.5%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dunellen?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $705 a month less.

Renting
$2,025
Owning
$2,730

Owning assumes a typical $393,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $39,350 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Dunellen, NJ?

Renting in Dunellen costs a median of about $2,025 a month in 2026, including utilities. The New Jersey median is $2,240.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $81,000 a year, or $39 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Dunellen cheap or expensive?

Dunellen is rated OK: rent takes 25.9% of the typical household income of $93,794. It ranks 102nd cheapest of 291 New Jersey cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Dunellen?

The median homeowner in Dunellen pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 2.54% of the median home value.

Is Dunellen 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 Dunellen?

The median home value in Dunellen is $393,500, about 4.2 times the typical yearly household income.

7,911 people live in Dunellen. Numbers are typical (middle) values.