Berkeley Heights vs Jersey City, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Berkeley Heights and Jersey City, side by side with sources.
At a glance
- Lower tax billJersey City, $11,252 a year
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Jersey City has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $11,252 a year, $2,902 less than $14,154 in Berkeley Heights. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
- Median sale priceJersey City $520,000 vs Berkeley Heights $950,000
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The median single-family sale price is $520,000 in Jersey City and $950,000 in Berkeley Heights, $430,000 more (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales).
- Peak commuteBerkeley Heights 58 min vs Jersey City 18.5 min
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Peak commute is 58 minutes in Berkeley Heights and 18.5 minutes by PATH to 33rd Street in Jersey City, 39.5 minutes shorter in Jersey City.
- Higher school resultsBerkeley Heights: 4-year graduation, ELA, math
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On the district results, Berkeley Heights' district is higher on 4-year graduation (97.3% vs 78.3%), ELA (73.3% vs 45.4%) and math (69.4% vs 32.8%).
Figures are from the data file, version 2.4.2. Estimates are labeled. Sources and dates are in each section below. Add a third town in the compare tool.
Monthly cost
Estimated monthly cost Estimate
- Mortgage (principal and interest)
- Property tax
- NJ Transit pass
- Berkeley Heights$7,028 / monthMortgage $5,179 · Property tax $1,441 · NJ Transit pass $408 · on a $950,000 median single-family home
More info
Each town uses its own headline median sale price, single-family unless the town's label says otherwise (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales), and its 2025 effective tax rate. Mortgage is the monthly mortgage in the data: Principal & interest only; excludes taxes and insurance. Calculated at a 7.24% 30-year fixed rate, 20% down, 30-year term. Excludes insurance, utilities, maintenance and HOA fees. Change the numbers in the calculator.
Not shown for Jersey City: The monthly cost estimate includes the NJ Transit rail pass to New York Penn Station, which does not apply to Jersey City (not on NJ Transit's rail-to-Penn fare chart; residents typically use PATH or the NY Waterway ferry (see fares)), so no estimate is shown.
Home prices
Median sale price, single-family
- Berkeley Heights$950,000117 sales
- Jersey City$520,00031 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Berkeley Heights$614,50026 sales
- Jersey City$492,50050 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Berkeley Heights$5,179 / month
- Jersey City$2,835 / month
More info
Principal & interest only; excludes taxes and insurance. Based on the single-family median unless a town's row says otherwise.
Source: GSMLS, 2025 closed sales
Property taxes
Average residential tax bill, 2025
- Berkeley Heights$14,154 / year$3,814 above the NJ average
- Jersey City$11,252 / year$912 above the NJ average
- NJ average$10,340 / yearState total, same series as the town bills
More info
Bills compare better than raw tax rates, because towns assess homes at different shares of market value.
Schools
Meeting ELA standards
- Berkeley Heights73.3% Above NJ average
- Jersey City45.4% Below NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Berkeley Heights69.4% Above NJ average
- Jersey City32.8% Below NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Berkeley Heights97.3% Above NJ average
- Jersey City78.3% Below NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Berkeley Heights4.7% Below NJ average
- Jersey City23.7% Above NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Berkeley Heights11:1
- Jersey City12:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Berkeley Heights$408 / month
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Not shown for Jersey City: Not on NJ Transit's rail-to-Penn fare chart; residents typically use PATH or the NY Waterway ferry (see fares)
Peak commute time
- Berkeley Heights58 min
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Typical from Berkeley Heights: 63.5 min, median trip time of the scheduled trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM on Wed 2026-11-18 (one itinerary per departure; dominated options excluded). Based on 6 trips.
- Jersey City18.5 minPATH from Grove Street to 33rd Street (Midtown Manhattan)
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Typical from Grove Street (PATH): 18.5 min, median ride time of the direct scheduled PATH trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM in PATH's weekday GTFS schedule (service through 2026-11-13); the count is for that schedule, not for Nov 18. Based on 28 trips.
PATH commute time
- Jersey City15 minNewport (PATH) to 33rd Street (PATH)
More info
Typical: 15 min, median ride time of the direct scheduled PATH trips arriving 7:00-9:00 AM in PATH's weekday GTFS schedule (service through 2026-11-13); the count is for that schedule, not for Nov 18. Based on 28 trips.
Ferry commute time
- Jersey City7 minPaulus Hook to Brookfield Place
More info
Typical: 8 min, median scheduled crossing time of the weekday ferry sailings from this terminal that arrive at the destination 7:00-9:00 AM in NY Waterway's published timetable. Based on 17 trips.
Full pages: Berkeley Heights · Jersey City. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.