Rent rising fastest in New Jersey

Cities in New Jersey with the largest year-over-year rent increases. Cities with 15,000+ residents. Updated monthly.

Key findings

Pleasantville ranks first, with +13.3% over the past year.
Across all 46 cities on this list, the median rent is $2,589/mo.
Union moved from #39 to #6 compared with a year ago.

Data as of September 2026. Change in Zillow's rent index over the past 12 months. Rank a year ago uses the change over the 12 months before that. Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)

Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordable Most expensive Rent falling Rent rising Best rent/income Most rent-burdened Record-high rent Seasonal swings Rent vs. income

46 cities

Rank	City	1-yr change	Median rent	5-yr change	Vs. a year ago
01	PleasantvilleNJ Pop. 21KCompare →	+13.3%	$2,001/mo	--	--
02	North ArlingtonNJ Pop. 16KCompare →	+13.0%	$2,462/mo	--	--
03	HawthorneNJ Pop. 20KCompare →	+10.4%	$2,607/mo	--	--
04	GarfieldNJ Pop. 33KCompare →	+8.8%	$2,433/mo	--	↓2 from #2
05	Highland ParkNJ Pop. 15KCompare →	+7.8%	$2,447/mo	--	↑19 from #24
06	UnionNJ Pop. 66KCompare →	+5.9%	$2,589/mo	+39.6%	↑33 from #39
07	Union CityNJ Pop. 66KCompare →	+5.2%	$2,343/mo	+34.4%	↑19 from #26
08	MetuchenNJ Pop. 15KCompare →	+5.1%	$2,773/mo	--	↑22 from #30
09	Toms RiverNJ Pop. 95KCompare →	+5.0%	$3,026/mo	--	↑5 from #14
10	CliftonNJ Pop. 89KCompare →	+5.0%	$2,605/mo	--	↑26 from #36
11	Long BranchNJ Pop. 33KCompare →	+4.9%	$2,678/mo	--	↑16 from #27
12	WoodbridgeNJ Pop. 21KCompare →	+4.5%	$2,464/mo	--	↑1 from #13
13	EnglewoodNJ Pop. 30KCompare →	+4.5%	$2,999/mo	--	↑8 from #21
14	SicklervilleNJ Pop. 45KCompare →	+4.3%	$2,361/mo	--	↓5 from #9
15	PrincetonNJ Pop. 31KCompare →	+4.2%	$3,350/mo	+22.8%	↑25 from #40
16	HobokenNJ Pop. 59KCompare →	+4.0%	$4,005/mo	+35.8%	same
17	HackensackNJ Pop. 46KCompare →	+3.8%	$2,723/mo	+25.1%	↑21 from #38
18	RahwayNJ Pop. 30KCompare →	+3.7%	$2,472/mo	--	↓1 from #17
19	Asbury ParkNJ Pop. 15KCompare →	+3.5%	$2,684/mo	--	↓7 from #12
20	SecaucusNJ Pop. 22KCompare →	+3.3%	$3,058/mo	+35.0%	↓1 from #19
21	Jersey CityNJ Pop. 294KCompare →	+3.3%	$3,101/mo	+35.2%	↑1 from #22
22	LindenNJ Pop. 44KCompare →	+3.3%	$2,468/mo	--	↑12 from #34
23	BayonneNJ Pop. 72KCompare →	+3.2%	$2,342/mo	+30.3%	↑8 from #31
24	ParsippanyNJ Pop. 21KCompare →	+3.2%	$2,832/mo	--	↑9 from #33
25	West New YorkNJ Pop. 52KCompare →	+3.2%	$2,547/mo	+28.4%	↓17 from #8
26	PhillipsburgNJ Pop. 15KCompare →	+2.9%	$1,988/mo	--	↓23 from #3
27	New BrunswickNJ Pop. 56KCompare →	+2.8%	$2,820/mo	+22.0%	↑5 from #32
28	KearnyNJ Pop. 41KCompare →	+2.7%	$2,108/mo	+37.1%	↓13 from #15
29	LodiNJ Pop. 26KCompare →	+2.7%	$2,408/mo	--	↓22 from #7
30	WestfieldNJ Pop. 31KCompare →	+2.6%	$2,973/mo	--	--
31	Fort LeeNJ Pop. 40KCompare →	+2.1%	$3,792/mo	+30.7%	↓27 from #4
32	MorristownNJ Pop. 20KCompare →	+2.1%	$3,119/mo	+20.2%	↓12 from #20
33	MadisonNJ Pop. 16KCompare →	+1.9%	$3,423/mo	--	↓22 from #11
34	SummitNJ Pop. 23KCompare →	+1.6%	$2,977/mo	+32.6%	↓29 from #5
35	PatersonNJ Pop. 159KCompare →	+1.4%	$1,889/mo	--	same
36	HarrisonNJ Pop. 20KCompare →	+1.4%	$2,663/mo	+24.8%	↓13 from #23
37	Cliffside ParkNJ Pop. 26KCompare →	+1.4%	$3,041/mo	--	↓12 from #25
38	ElizabethNJ Pop. 137KCompare →	+1.4%	$2,230/mo	+31.3%	↓1 from #37
39	Atlantic CityNJ Pop. 39KCompare →	+1.3%	$1,812/mo	--	↓38 from #1
40	MillvilleNJ Pop. 28KCompare →	+1.3%	$1,615/mo	--	--
41	CarteretNJ Pop. 25KCompare →	+1.0%	$2,430/mo	--	↓13 from #28
42	RoselleNJ Pop. 23KCompare →	+1.0%	$2,495/mo	--	↓32 from #10
43	NewarkNJ Pop. 310KCompare →	+0.5%	$2,111/mo	+33.6%	↓25 from #18
44	GlassboroNJ Pop. 24KCompare →	+0.4%	$2,749/mo	--	↓15 from #29
45	Elmwood ParkNJ Pop. 21KCompare →	+0.4%	$2,481/mo	--	--
46	TrentonNJ Pop. 90KCompare →	+0.2%	$2,030/mo	+38.7%	↓40 from #6