ZIP 08901
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
March. Asking rents in ZIP 08901 usually run 1.3% below trend in March and 1.6% above it in September, about $82 a month apart at today's median. Based on 7 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 08901 is 0% below its high of $2,821 in August 2026, at $2,820 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 08901 changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 149 New Jersey ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.8%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 08901 rose 29.1% while median household income rose 50.3% ($43,783 to $65,810). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 08901 is 38% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($65,810) is $1,645 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($1,730).
ZIP 08904, 1 mile away, rents for 13% less ($2,447/mo), about $4,500 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 08901. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 08901 (New Brunswick, NJ) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 23.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 08901 in New Brunswick, NJ has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 08901 in New Brunswick, NJ paid around $1,968 a month. That figure now sits near $2,820, up 43.3% from the 2021 baseline. Household income in the area moved from $49,338 to $65,810 across the same window, up 33.4% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 80.2% to 78.6%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 08901 in New Brunswick, NJ look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 08901
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 08901 covers New Brunswick, NJ. The median rent here is $2,820/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,890/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,380/mo.
At 51% of local median household income ($65,810/yr), ZIP 08901 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 08901 compare to other ZIPs in New Jersey?
How does ZIP 08901 compare to the rest of New Brunswick?
At $2,820/mo, rent takes ~51% of ZIP 08901's median household income ($65,810/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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