Morris County · New York-Newark-Jersey City · population 10,062
Where Chatham stands
At or near all-time high. home values up 9.2% in the last year. averaging 7.2% annual growth over 5 years. population growing 2.2% per year. rents up 5.8% in the last year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
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 · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 35.3 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Chatham for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Chatham has been growing population at 2.2% per year while home values compounded +7.2% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.
Chatham'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 Chatham
Chatham is a city in Morris County, New Jersey, with an estimated population of 10,062. It anchors the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area. The population has grown 2.2% per year on average between 2020 and 2024 — among the faster-growing communities in the state. The median home value in Chatham is $1,351,031 as of 2026-04, up 9.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Chatham average $3,185 per month, up 5.8% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 81 of 100 (Hot). Buyers should expect competition and limited negotiation room in this market.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
Playbook
Expect competition, escalation clauses, and pressure to waive inspections. Make your strongest offer up front — Hot markets reward decisiveness, not negotiation. If you can't write a clean offer, you may not be the best fit for this market right now.
Price slightly above recent comps and let multiple offers work. Days-on-market should be short. Don't accept the first offer in the first 48 hours unless it's significantly above ask.
Cap rates will look ugly in a Hot market — your thesis has to be appreciation, not yield. Don't expect cash flow; expect to ride the trend and exit before it stalls.
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 Chatham
Run the numbers for Chatham
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
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
Find rentals & listings
Open current Chatham listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local economy & environment
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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