Budd Lake, NJ — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

Morris County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 9,784

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Budd Lake stands

At or near all-time high. rents up 20.1% in the last year.

Median home $559,654
1-year +2.2%
5-yr CAGR +6.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$560k$315k$404k$493k$582k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
56/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,269/mo$1,711$2,086$2,46120242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10311310012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 20.6
Lean rent

At a 20.6 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Budd Lake. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
61 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
62 · w10%
Long thesis

Budd Lake has held up across the cycle: home values at $559,654 with +6.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Budd Lake's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Budd Lake

Budd Lake is a city in Morris County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 9,784. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The median home value in Budd Lake is $559,654 as of 2026-04, up 2.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Budd Lake average $2,269 per month, up 20.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Healthy 5-year run: +6.9% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Quiet strength: +2.2% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
Hot rental market: rents up 20.1% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

Bear case

Rental squeeze: rents up 20.1% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Morris County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Morris County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Budd Lake

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
38° / 23°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 65°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
207
~57% of year
Annual precip
47″ rain
25″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the New York-Newark-Jersey City area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Budd Lake listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$97,100
New Jersey state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinancePharmaLogistics

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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