Hillside, NJ real estate: the numbers, explained.

Home values in Hillside

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

Zillow’s Home Value Index for Hillside was $518,575 as of September 30, 2026, up 0.6% from a year earlier and up 31.9% over five years. Over ten years the index rose 142.3%. 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 $512,650 across 108 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 $397,400 (2020–2024 average), compared with a Union County town median of $533,300.

Hillside property taxes

Hillside’s 2025 general tax rate was 8.899 per $100 of assessed value, and its effective tax rate was 2.279%, higher than the Union County town median of 2.113% and higher than the statewide municipal median of 2.141%. That ranks it #16 lowest of 21 Union County municipalities by effective rate. The average residential tax bill was $10,961 on an average assessment of $123,171 across 5,639 residential properties.

Applied to the typical home value of $518,575, the effective rate implies roughly $11,818 a year ($985 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 $518,575 home with 20% down ($103,715) 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 $2,810 a month. With estimated property tax that’s about $3,795, before insurance, any HOA fee and utilities. For comparison, the Census median gross rent in Hillside is $1,794 and Zillow’s observed rent index (asking rents, Sept. 2026) is $2,350.

Run my numbers for HillsideRent vs buy here

Who lives in Hillside

About 22,349 people live in Hillside. 67.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied (county town median 68.3%). 57.1% of housing units are single-family detached houses. The median resident age is 35.7, and 27.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Median household income is $99,528, lower than the county town median of $119,464.

The median home in Hillside was built in 1950. 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 Hillside

Workers in Hillside average 29.7 minutes each way (those who don’t work from home), shorter than the Union County town median of 31.5 minutes. 12.8% commute by public transportation, so transit is a real option for some commuters and 8.6% work from home.

See all NJ towns ranked by transit commuting.

Schools

I don’t republish unofficial school scores. For Hillside, 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 Hillside’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

• Buyers: taxes run above the county median, so budget on the tax bill, not just the price. Ask for the current bill on every listing.
• Sellers: values are up 31.9% in five years, so many owners have significant equity. See your number in the seller net sheet.

Nearby towns at a similar price