FY2027 Fair Market Rent · New Jersey
Essex County Fair Market Rent & Income Limits
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Essex County, NJ is $2,233 a month, up 1.3% from FY2026. The area median family income is $138,400, and a family of four counts as low income up to $106,800 a year.
Fair Market Rent by unit size
FY2027 FY2026
Fair Market Rents are gross rents: rent plus the cost of all utilities except phone, cable and internet.
Check your household
Enter your household size and total yearly income before taxes to see which HUD income category it falls in for Essex County, NJ.
Low income (80% limit)
A household of 4 earning $104,800 is under the 80% limit of $106,800 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $2,620 a month for rent and utilities.
This is a quick comparison with HUD's published limits, not an eligibility decision. Programs count income in their own ways and many have waiting lists; the local housing agency or property decides.
Income limits in Essex County
HUD's FY2026 income limits for Newark, NJ are based on a median family income of $138,400. Programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and HOME use the 30%, 50% and 80% columns; Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties use the 50% and 60% Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.
| People | Extremely low30% / poverty | Very low50% | 60% (LIHTC)MTSP | Low income80% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29,050 | $48,450 | $58,140 | $74,800 |
| 2 | $33,200 | $55,400 | $66,480 | $85,450 |
| 3 | $37,350 | $62,300 | $74,760 | $96,150 |
| 4 | $41,500 | $69,200 | $83,040 | $106,800 |
| 5 | $44,850 | $74,750 | $89,700 | $115,350 |
| 6 | $48,150 | $80,300 | $96,360 | $123,900 |
| 7 | $51,500 | $85,850 | $103,020 | $132,450 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $91,350 | $109,620 | $141,000 |
HERA Special area. Tax-credit properties placed in service before 2009 may use HUD's higher HERA hold-harmless 60% limits here: $83,640 for four people, against the regular $83,040.
Rent history
Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $1,288 to $2,233, up 73.4% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $410.
What it takes to afford the rent
To keep a two-bedroom rent of $2,233 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $89,300 a year. That is 65% of the area median family income of $138,400, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.
| Unit | FY2027 | FY2026 | FY2025 | Income to affordat 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,637 | $1,612 | $1,551 | $65,500 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,850 | $1,822 | $1,768 | $74,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,233 | $2,205 | $2,140 | $89,300 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,785 | $2,761 | $2,695 | $111,400 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,188 | $3,137 | $3,065 | $127,500 |
How Essex County compares
Essex County is part of the Newark, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area, together with Morris County, Sussex County and Union County. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent and one set of income limits for the whole area, so the numbers on this page apply in every county of it.
Essex County has the 10th highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 21 counties in New Jersey; the population-weighted average across New Jersey is $2,268 and the nationwide average is $1,751.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code
HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Essex County the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,990 to $3,350 across 35 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $2,233. This area is not on HUD's list of mandatory Small Area FMR areas, so most agencies here use the area-wide FMR; an agency may still opt in to ZIP-level rents.
| ZIP | Place | 2 BR SAFMR | 110% payment std. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07004 | Fairfield | $3,350 | $3,685 |
| 07039 | Livingston | $3,350 | $3,685 |
| 07068 | Roseland | $3,350 | $3,685 |
| 07078 | Short Hills | $3,350 | $3,685 |
| 07028 | Glen Ridge | $3,220 | $3,542 |
| 07043 | Montclair | $3,190 | $3,509 |
| 07079 | South Orange | $3,120 | $3,432 |
| 07042 | Montclair | $2,940 | $3,234 |
| 07040 | Maplewood | $2,870 | $3,157 |
| 07044 | Verona | $2,870 | $3,157 |
| 07021 | Essex Fells | $2,860 | $3,146 |
| 07006 | Caldwell | $2,650 | $2,915 |
| 07041 | Millburn | $2,630 | $2,893 |
| 07003 | Bloomfield | $2,600 | $2,860 |
| 07009 | Cedar Grove | $2,520 | $2,772 |
| 07052 | West Orange | $2,520 | $2,772 |
| 07110 | Nutley | $2,310 | $2,541 |
| 07050 | Orange | $2,310 | $2,541 |
| 07109 | Belleville | $2,300 | $2,530 |
| 07007 | Caldwell | $2,110 | $2,321 |
| 07019 | East Orange | $2,110 | $2,321 |
| 07051 | Orange | $2,110 | $2,321 |
| 07101 | Newark | $2,110 | $2,321 |
| 07018 | East Orange | $2,100 | $2,310 |
| 07111 | Irvington | $2,040 | $2,244 |
| 07105 | Newark | $2,020 | $2,222 |
| 07017 | East Orange | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07102 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07103 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07104 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07106 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07107 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07108 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07112 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
| 07114 | Newark | $1,990 | $2,189 |
Questions
What is the Fair Market Rent in Essex County, NJ for 2027?
For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Essex County, NJ are $1,637 for a studio, $1,850 for one bedroom, $2,233 for two bedrooms, $2,785 for three and $3,188 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.
What is the area median income in Essex County, NJ?
HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $138,400, up 2.3% from $135,300 in FY2025.
What is 80% of AMI in Essex County, NJ for a family of 4?
The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $106,800 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $69,200 and the extremely low-income limit is $41,500.
What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Essex County, NJ?
Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $58,140 for one person and $83,040 for four. Some older tax-credit properties here use higher HERA hold-harmless limits.
Is the Fair Market Rent the same as the Section 8 payment standard?
No. Housing agencies set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of the FMR (for a two-bedroom here: $2,010 to $2,456), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.