Rents are 7% below what Matawan'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 $2,711 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 Matawan is 2.8% below its high of $2,789 in August 2025, at $2,711 as of September 2026.
Rent in Matawan changed -1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 121 New Jersey cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($123,354) is $3,084 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($3,020); a 4-bedroom is $3,350.
Keansburg, 6 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,385/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Matawan. 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
Matawan, NJ is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 43.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Matawan, NJ has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Matawan, NJ has shifted from $2,264 to $2,711, up 19.7% since 2022. Household income in the area moved from $115,035 to $123,354 across the same window, up 7.2% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Matawan, NJ adding about 224 residents over the five-year window, up 2.4% on net. The renter share has risen from 34.6% to 48.1%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 40.1% to 43.4% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Matawan, NJ look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
Discussions about Matawan
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Can you afford rent in Matawan on your salary?
At $2,711/mo, how Matawan rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Matawan rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Matawan. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Matawan
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Matawan is $2,711/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,680/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,340/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,890/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,020/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($123,354/yr), Matawan ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Matawan?
Is rent going up or down in Matawan?
How does Matawan rent compare to other cities in New Jersey?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Matawan?
At $2,711/mo, rent takes ~26% of Matawan's median household income ($123,354/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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