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Buying a home in Carteret, New Jersey

The typical owner-occupied home in Carteret is worth about $405,800, 11% below the New Jersey median of $454,400 and 22% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $7,750 a year in property taxes, about 1.91% of their home's value, lower than the New Jersey rate of 2.11%. The median household earns $96,862 a year, so the median home costs 4.2 times the median income (4.4 times for New Jersey). 55% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Carteret at a glance

Carteret New Jersey U.S.
Median home value $405,800 $454,400 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $7,750 $9,590 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.91% 2.11% 0.94%
Median household income $96,862 $103,556 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 55% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,602 $2,829 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.5% 22.9% 21.0%
Median rent $2,032 $1,720 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.9% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1960 1970 1980
Vacant homes 5.9% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 25,496 9,343,809 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Carteret

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Carteret home of $405,800 with 20% down costs about $2,999 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,675, 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 $128,522 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Carteret household income of $96,862; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $306,000.

The median rent here is $2,032 a month, so owning the median home costs about $967 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$81,160
Loan amount$324,640
Principal and interest$2,184
Property taxes (1.91% a year)$646
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$169
PMI$0
Total per month$2,999

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,203
Loan amount$398,450
Principal and interest$2,680
Property taxes (1.91% a year)$646
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$169
FHA mortgage insurance$179
Total per month$3,675

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Questions about home buying in Carteret

What is the median home value in Carteret?

About $405,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Carteret?

Homeowners pay a median $7,750 a year, which is about 1.91% 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 Carteret?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,999 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $128,522 a year.

More about Carteret

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