Renters across New Jersey continue to face high housing costs in 2026, with average price outpacing much of the country. While some city rents rival New York in cost, others remain relatively affordable — depending on where you look.

The average monthly rent in NJ sits at $2,413 — the fifth highest in the country — just behind Massachusetts, California, New York, and Washington, DC, according to World Population Review. The top 10 states all average over $2,000 per month and the 10 states with the lowest averages, fall between $1,059 to $1,323.

Rising rents are due to a widening gap between supply and demand due to a combination of factors, such as rising home prices pricing out new would-be buyers that are forced to remain in the rental market. The National Association of Realtors reports the number of first-time home buyers fell to a recent historic low of 21%.

While housing costs are rising across the country, NJ faces other factors such as limited housing supply in dense, transit-accessible areas, high demand near New York City and Philadelphia metro areas as well as rising costs for landlords, including property taxes and utilities.

As of May 2026, Apartments.com reports the average rent in NJ has risen over last year, with prices falling between $2,038 to $3,636 or more, depending on size of apartment and location. Noting, metropolitan areas may have higher rents than smaller towns or rural areas.

Prices can be significantly higher in North Jersey and transit-heavy markets such as Hoboken where the average rent is over $3,805/month and Jersey City, where rents are over $3,236 on average, but here are some of the most affordable cities with the cheapest rents:

While the neighboring state of New York has a higher average of over $3,000 monthly rents, NJ's other neighbors such as Pennsylvania and Delaware both have lower average rental prices in the $1500 range.

The most expensive rents in NJ are in Hoboken, Jersey City, West New York, Bayonne, Wayne, New Brunswick, Bloomfield, Clifton, Toms River and Lakewood.

Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey rent prices 2026: What apartments cost; where it’s cheapest