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Trenton-Princeton, NJ

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $1,950 per month, ranking #72 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $96,333, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.3% of income on housing. The area has a population of 383K, with 38.1% of households renting.

24.3%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,950
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$96,333
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,515
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
383K
Population
Census ACS
38.1%
Renters
of occupied housing
$351,000
Median Home Value
6.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.1%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,344
Studio
$1,545
1 Bedroom
$1,950
2 Bedroom
$2,338
3 Bedroom
$2,670
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Trenton-Princeton, NJ, a household earning the area median income of $96,333 would spend 24.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$78,000
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$38
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,515
$435 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New Jersey is $15.49/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 96.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Trenton-Princeton is 11.1%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$15.49/hr
Hours/Week Needed
96.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.1%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Trenton-Princeton is $351,000. At a median income of $96,333, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. 6.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,457 est. mortgage
vs $1,950 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.1%
of housing units

Other Areas in New Jersey

Jersey City
$2,763/mo
2BR FMR · 34.1% burden
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon
$2,486/mo
2BR FMR · 30.6% burden
Monmouth-Ocean
$2,328/mo
2BR FMR · 28.7% burden
Bergen-Passaic
$2,324/mo
2BR FMR · 28.7% burden
Newark
$2,205/mo
2BR FMR · 27.2% burden

Compare Trenton-Princeton

vs Jersey City, NJvs Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJvs Monmouth-Ocean, NJ

Areas With Similar Rent to Trenton-Princeton

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $1,950 per month. A studio is $1,344/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,545/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,338/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,515/mo.

Trenton-Princeton has a rent burden of 24.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $96,333 would spend 24.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $78,000.

Trenton-Princeton's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,950/mo is $700 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Trenton-Princeton ranks #72 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Trenton-Princeton without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $78,000, or a full-time hourly wage of $38/hour. The area median income is $96,333.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.