Rents are 7% below what Kearny's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,108 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Kearny usually run 0.9% below trend in January and 1.4% above it in October, about $48 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.
Rent in Kearny is 0.3% below its high of $2,114 in July 2026, at $2,108 as of September 2026.
Rent in Kearny changed +2.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 121 New Jersey cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
Rent in Kearny is 46% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($79,154) is $1,979 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,770); a 2-bedroom is $2,000.
Paterson, 12 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,889/mo), about $2,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Kearny. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Kearny, NJ is majority renter-occupied, 30.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Kearny, NJ has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Kearny, NJ paid around $1,467 a month. That figure now sits near $2,108, up 43.7% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in Kearny, NJ now reports about $79,154, up from $76,647 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Kearny, NJ losing about 1,176 residents over the five-year window, down 2.8% on net. The renter share has risen from 53.3% to 57.1%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 27.7% to 30.6% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Kearny, NJ reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Kearny on your salary?
At $2,108/mo, how Kearny rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Kearny rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Kearny. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Kearny
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Kearny is $2,108/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,740/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,000/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,770/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,460/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($79,154/yr), Kearny ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Kearny rent compare to other cities in New Jersey?
At $2,108/mo, rent takes ~32% of Kearny's median household income ($79,154/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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