Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) vs Millburn (Short Hills), NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and Millburn (Short Hills), side by side with sources.
At a glance
Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $14,715 a year, $11,583 less than $26,298 in Millburn (Short Hills). 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 $2,031,500 in Millburn (Short Hills), $781,500 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 Millburn (Short Hills) to $14,045, a gap of $4,917.
Peak commute is 75 minutes in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and 34 in Millburn (Short Hills), 41 minutes shorter in Millburn (Short Hills); the NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $309 in Millburn (Short Hills) and $531 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge), $222 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
- Millburn (Short Hills)$14,045 / monthMortgage $11,076 · Property tax $2,660 · NJ Transit pass $309 · on a $2,031,500 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
- Millburn (Short Hills)$2,031,500200 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$503,000140 sales
- Millburn (Short Hills)$850,00015 sales · fewer than 50 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$6,815 / month
- Millburn (Short Hills)$11,076 / 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
- Millburn (Short Hills)$26,298 / year$15,958 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
- Millburn (Short Hills)85.3% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)79.6% Above NJ average
- Millburn (Short Hills)85.2% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)97.6% Above NJ average
- Millburn (Short Hills)99.7% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)6.4% Below NJ average
- Millburn (Short Hills)9.5% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)11:1
- Millburn (Short Hills)11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$531 / month
- Millburn (Short Hills)$309 / month
Peak commute time
Full pages: Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) · Millburn (Short Hills). Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.