Rents are 3% below what Linden'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 $2,468 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
Rent in Linden is 0.1% below its high of $2,471 in August 2026, at $2,468 as of September 2026.
Rent in Linden changed +3.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 121 New Jersey cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
Rent rose in 7 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($92,915) is $2,323 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,930); a 3-bedroom is $2,430.
Irvington, 7 miles away, rents for 21% less ($1,939/mo), about $6,300 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Linden. 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
Linden, NJ is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 23.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Linden, NJ has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Linden, NJ paid around $2,192 a month. That figure now sits near $2,468, up 12.6% from the 2023 baseline. Median household income climbed from $80,200 to $92,915 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.9% shift. With wages climbing faster than rent over the same window, renters here have a bit more breathing room than they did five years back. Census counts show Linden, NJ adding about 805 residents over the five-year window, up 1.9% on net. Taken together, the five-year picture in Linden, NJ reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $2,468/mo, how Linden rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Linden rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Linden. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Linden
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Linden is $2,468/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,400/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,930/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,590/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,430/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($92,915/yr), Linden ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Linden?
Is rent going up or down in Linden?
How does Linden rent compare to other cities in New Jersey?
At $2,468/mo, rent takes ~32% of Linden's median household income ($92,915/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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