Berkeley Heights vs South Orange (Village), NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Berkeley Heights and South Orange (Village), side by side with sources.
At a glance
Berkeley Heights has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $14,154 a year, $8,566 less than $22,720 in South Orange (Village). Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
The median single-family sale price is $950,000 in Berkeley Heights and $1,130,000 in South Orange (Village), $180,000 more (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales).
On the site's monthly cost estimate (mortgage, property tax and NJ Transit pass, each on the town's median single-family sale price), Berkeley Heights comes to $7,028 a month and South Orange (Village) to $8,741, a gap of $1,713.
Peak commute is 58 minutes in Berkeley Heights and 31 in South Orange (Village), 27 minutes shorter in South Orange (Village); the NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $255 in South Orange (Village) and $408 in Berkeley Heights, $153 more.
Figures are from the data file, version 2.3.0. Estimates are labeled. 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
- South Orange (Village)$8,741 / monthMortgage $6,161 · Property tax $2,325 · NJ Transit pass $255 · on a $1,130,000 median single-family home
Each town uses its own median single-family sale price (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales) and 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.
Home prices
Median sale price, single-family
- Berkeley Heights$950,000117 sales
- South Orange (Village)$1,130,000141 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Berkeley Heights$614,50026 sales · fewer than 50 sales
- South Orange (Village)$455,25022 sales · fewer than 50 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Berkeley Heights$5,179 / month
- South Orange (Village)$6,161 / month
Principal & interest only; excludes taxes and insurance. Based on the single-family median.
Source: GSMLS, 2025 closed sales
Property taxes
Average residential tax bill, 2025
- Berkeley Heights$14,154 / year$3,814 above the NJ average
- South Orange (Village)$22,720 / year$12,380 above the NJ average
- NJ average$10,340 / yearState total, same series as the town bills
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
- South Orange (Village)70.4% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Berkeley Heights69.4% Above NJ average
- South Orange (Village)56.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Berkeley Heights97.3% Above NJ average
- South Orange (Village)93.2% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Berkeley Heights4.7% Below NJ average
- South Orange (Village)8.1% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Berkeley Heights11:1
- South Orange (Village)12:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Berkeley Heights$408 / month
- South Orange (Village)$255 / month
Peak commute time
- Berkeley Heights58 min
- South Orange (Village)31 min
Full pages: Berkeley Heights · South Orange (Village). Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.