Carteret, NJ real estate: the numbers, explained.

Home values in Carteret

Zillow Home Value Index (all homes, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted) for the Zillow region “Carteret”, September 30 of each year. Source: Zillow Research.

Zillow’s Home Value Index for Carteret was $560,050 as of September 30, 2026, up 6% from a year earlier and up 38.3% over five years. Over ten years the index rose 119.5%. ZHVI models a typical home value. It isn’t the price of any specific house.

The NJ Division of Taxation’s 2026 Average Residential Statistics show an average residential sale price of $551,050 across 110 sales used in that report. Averages can be pulled up or down by a few sales, which is one reason it can differ from Zillow’s index.

The Census Bureau’s survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes, as estimated by owners, at $405,800 (2020–2024 average), compared with a Middlesex County town median of $446,400.

Carteret property taxes

Carteret’s 2025 general tax rate was 1.568 per $100 of assessed value, and its effective tax rate was 1.76%, lower than the Middlesex County town median of 2.098% and lower than the statewide municipal median of 2.141%. That ranks it #4 lowest of 25 Middlesex County municipalities by effective rate. The average residential tax bill was $8,196 on an average assessment of $522,692 across 5,142 residential properties.

Applied to the typical home value of $560,050, the effective rate implies roughly $9,857 a year ($821 a month) in property tax. The Division publishes the effective rate for comparing towns, not for computing a specific bill, so use it as a ballpark.

What it costs to own vs. rent

For a $560,050 home with 20% down ($112,010) and a 30-year fixed loan at 7.18%, Freddie Mac’s national average for the week of November 5, 2026, principal and interest come to about $3,035 a month. With estimated property tax that’s about $3,857, before insurance, any HOA fee and utilities. For comparison, the Census median gross rent in Carteret is $2,032 and Zillow’s observed rent index (asking rents, Sept. 2026) is $2,430, up 1.8% in a year.

Run my numbers for CarteretRent vs buy here

Who lives in Carteret

About 25,496 people live in Carteret. 54.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied (county town median 65.6%). 49.5% of housing units are single-family detached houses. The median resident age is 38.2, and 30.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Median household income is $96,862, lower than the county town median of $107,892.

The median home in Carteret was built in 1960. Much of the housing predates 1978, so buyers should plan for older-home checks: lead-based paint disclosure, an oil-tank sweep if the house ever had oil heat, knob-and-tube or older electrical, galvanized plumbing, and a sewer-line scope. See the NJ inspection checklist.

Commuting from Carteret

Workers in Carteret average 31.4 minutes each way (those who don’t work from home), about the same as the Middlesex County town median of 31.7 minutes. 6.9% commute by public transportation, so transit is a real option for some commuters and 11.1% work from home.

Schools

I don’t republish unofficial school scores. For Carteret, start with the New Jersey Department of Education’s School Performance Reports, then confirm the exact school assignment for any address with the district, since some NJ towns send students to regional or neighboring high schools. See how to research NJ schools.

Downtown, food and things to do

The best way to judge Carteret’s restaurants, parks and weekend life is in person. Visit on a weeknight and a Saturday morning, check the town recreation calendar and walk the blocks you’d live on. My town scouting checklist shows what to look for.

My take for buyers, sellers and renters

• Renters: with 45.3% of homes renter-occupied, Carteret has a deep rental market. Line up documents before touring. The move-in calculator shows the cash you’ll need.
• Buyers: a below-county-median effective tax rate stretches your budget further here than in many Middlesex towns. Compare with the town comparison tool.
• Sellers: values are up 38.3% in five years, so many owners have significant equity. See your number in the seller net sheet.

Nearby towns at a similar price