Is Bergen County, NJ good for real estate investing?

Bergen County has an investment score of 47/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #0 nationally among 0 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Bergen?

The rent-to-price ratio in Bergen County is 4.41% annually, which ranks in the 50th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Bergen?

The median home price in Bergen County is $773,069. This ranks #0 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Bergen?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Bergen County would generate negative cash flow of $2,207/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Bergen County

New JerseyPopulation: 953,243New York, NY Metro

/100

Hold

#0 of 0 counties

#19 in New Jersey (21 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 18, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$773,069

Median Home Price

0% below national median

$2,839/mo

Median Rent

0% below national median

4.41%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 50% nationally

-$2,207

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $2,839/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$579,802	-$1,194/mo	3.8%	-10.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$773,069	-$2,207/mo	2.9%	-14.9%
125% of median newer / premium	$966,336	-$3,220/mo	2.3%	-17.4%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$773,069

Down Payment (20%)$154,614

Loan Amount$618,455

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,839

Monthly P&I-$4,052

Est. Expenses (35%)-$994

Net Cash Flow-$2,207/mo

2.9%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.41%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.9% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

47/100

Cash Flow(30%)

36/100

Based on 4.41% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

88/100

Based on 5.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

8/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+5.7% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$2,207/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.9% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

953,243

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
UnionNJ	51	$614,241	$2,590	5.06%	Hold	View
PassaicNJ	51	$574,942	$2,282	4.76%	Hold	View
MonmouthNJ	50	$733,160	$2,833	4.64%	Hold	View
HudsonNJ	48	$617,352	$2,912	5.66%	Hold	View
CurrentBergenNJ	47	$773,069	$2,839	4.41%	Hold
EssexNJ	47	$635,686	$2,305	4.35%	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldBergen is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Bergen County in New Jersey scores 47/100, ranking #0 of 0 US counties (top 50%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $2207/month; the 4.41% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,207/mo

Cap Rate

2.9%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.9%

Related markets

Markets like Bergen with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Bergen

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in New Jersey →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Bergen?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $2,839/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$579,802	-$1,194/mo	3.8%	-10.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$773,069	-$2,207/mo	2.9%	-14.9%
125% of median newer / premium	$966,336	-$3,220/mo	2.3%	-17.4%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$773,069

Down Payment (20%)$154,614

Loan Amount$618,455

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,839

Monthly P&I-$4,052

Est. Expenses (35%)-$994

Net Cash Flow-$2,207/mo

2.9%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.41%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.9% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

47/100

Cash Flow(30%)

36/100

Based on 4.41% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

88/100

Based on 5.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

8/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

County

Verdict

UnionNJ

$614,241

$2,590

5.06%

Hold

View

PassaicNJ

$574,942

$2,282

4.76%

Hold

View

MonmouthNJ

$733,160

$2,833

4.64%

Hold

View

HudsonNJ

$617,352

$2,912

5.66%

Hold

View

CurrentBergenNJ

$773,069

$2,839

4.41%

Hold

EssexNJ

$635,686

$2,305

4.35%

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

HoldBergen is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-2,207/mo

Cap Rate

2.9%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.9%