Rents are right about where Somerville's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $2,270 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 Somerville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2022.
Rent in Somerville changed +4.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 121 New Jersey cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.1%.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($103,760) is $2,594 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,490); a 4-bedroom is $2,730.
Washington, 21 miles away, rents for 12% less ($2,008/mo), about $3,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Somerville. 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
Somerville, NJ is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 54.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Somerville, NJ has changed in 5 years
Since 2022, the typical rent in Somerville, NJ has climbed from $1,865 to $2,270, a 21.7% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $92,995 in 2021 to $103,760 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 7.7% since 2021, moving from about 12,453 residents to roughly 13,410. Renters now make up 57% of households, compared with 53.4% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 54.7% of adults here, versus 47.6% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Somerville, NJ market of 2022.
Discussions about Somerville
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Can you afford rent in Somerville on your salary?
At $2,270/mo, how Somerville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Somerville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Somerville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Somerville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Somerville is $2,270/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,450/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,050/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,630/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,490/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($103,760/yr), Somerville ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Somerville?
Is rent going up or down in Somerville?
How does Somerville rent compare to other cities in New Jersey?
At $2,270/mo, rent takes ~26% of Somerville's median household income ($103,760/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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