Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) vs Chatham Boro, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and Chatham Boro, side by side with sources.
At a glance
Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $14,715 a year, $2,245 less than $16,960 in Chatham Boro. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
The median single-family sale price is $1,250,000 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and $1,380,400 in Chatham Boro, $130,400 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), Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) comes to $9,128 a month and Chatham Boro to $9,659, a gap of $531.
Peak commute is 75 minutes in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and 46 in Chatham Boro, 29 minutes shorter in Chatham Boro; the NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $376 in Chatham Boro and $531 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge), $155 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
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$9,128 / monthMortgage $6,815 · Property tax $1,782 · NJ Transit pass $531 · on a $1,250,000 median single-family home
- Chatham Boro$9,659 / monthMortgage $7,526 · Property tax $1,757 · NJ Transit pass $376 · on a $1,380,400 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
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$1,250,000165 sales
- Chatham Boro$1,380,40092 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$503,000140 sales
- Chatham Boro$780,0005 sales · fewer than 50 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$6,815 / month
- Chatham Boro$7,526 / 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
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$14,715 / year$4,375 above the NJ average
- Chatham Boro$16,960 / year$6,620 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
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)81.9% Above NJ average
- Chatham Boro74.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)79.6% Above NJ average
- Chatham Boro68.5% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)97.6% Above NJ average
- Chatham Boro96.5% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)6.4% Below NJ average
- Chatham Boro6.3% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)11:1
- Chatham Boro11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$531 / month
- Chatham Boro$376 / month
Peak commute time
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)75 min
- Chatham Boro46 min
Full pages: Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) · Chatham Boro. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.