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Buying a home in Garfield, New Jersey

The typical owner-occupied home in Garfield is worth about $475,500, 5% above the New Jersey median of $454,400 and 43% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $9,308 a year in property taxes, about 1.96% of their home's value, lower than the New Jersey rate of 2.11%. The median household earns $79,700 a year, so the median home costs 6.0 times the median income (4.4 times for New Jersey). 45% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Garfield at a glance

Garfield New Jersey U.S.
Median home value $475,500 $454,400 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $9,308 $9,590 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.96% 2.11% 0.94%
Median household income $79,700 $103,556 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 45% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,870 $2,829 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 27.8% 22.9% 21.0%
Median rent $1,688 $1,720 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.4% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1954 1970 1980
Vacant homes 5.5% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 32,783 9,343,809 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Garfield

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Garfield home of $475,500 with 20% down costs about $3,534 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,326, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $151,447 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Garfield household income of $79,700; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $250,000.

The median rent here is $1,688 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,846 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$95,100
Loan amount$380,400
Principal and interest$2,559
Property taxes (1.96% a year)$777
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$198
PMI$0
Total per month$3,534

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$16,642
Loan amount$466,888
Principal and interest$3,141
Property taxes (1.96% a year)$777
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$198
FHA mortgage insurance$210
Total per month$4,326

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Questions about home buying in Garfield

What is the median home value in Garfield?

About $475,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Garfield?

Homeowners pay a median $9,308 a year, which is about 1.96% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Garfield?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,534 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $151,447 a year.

More about Garfield

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data