Carteret, NJ — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New Jersey·Carteret

Middlesex County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 26,003

Investors
Carteret, NJ
Image: Wikipedia · Carteret, New Jersey
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Carteret stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.1% in the last year. averaging 7.3% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $551,542
1-year +5.1%
5-yr CAGR +7.3%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$552k$232k$346k$460k$574k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
75/100
Strong remote-work fit
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
$2,418/mo$0$1,324$2,64820242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent1221148010012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 19.0
Lean buy

At a 19.0 price-to-rent ratio, Carteret is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
75 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
76 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
58 · w16%
Rent YoY
59 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
82 · w10%
Long thesis

Carteret has averaged 7.3% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+5.1% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Carteret'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 Carteret

Carteret is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 26,003. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The population grew 0.7% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Carteret is $551,542 as of 2026-04, up 5.1% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Carteret average $2,418 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.0%). 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: +7.3% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.1% 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.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Carteret (Wikipedia)

Carteret is a borough in northeastern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population reached 25,326, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,482 (+10.9%) from the 2010 census count of 22,844, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,135 (+10.3%) from the 20,709 counted in the 2000 census.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

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 Middlesex County right now.

NWS active alerts (NJ)New Jersey Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

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

Cities like Carteret

Middlesex, NJ73 · RisingHammonton, NJ73 · RisingEatontown, NJ73 · RisingTinton Falls, NJ73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Carteret

ToolCan I afford Carteret?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Carteret rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Carteret to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolCarteret cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

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 Carteret listings on the major real-estate sites.

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

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

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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