Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) vs Union Twp, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and Union Twp, side by side with sources.
At a glance
Union Twp has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $10,849 a year, $3,866 less than $14,715 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge). Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
The median single-family sale price is $597,500 in Union Twp and $1,250,000 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge), $652,500 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), Union Twp comes to $4,643 a month and Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) to $9,128, a gap of $4,485.
Peak commute is 75 minutes in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) and 36 in Union Twp, 39 minutes shorter in Union Twp; the NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $255 in Union Twp and $531 in Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge), $276 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
- Union Twp$4,643 / monthMortgage $3,258 · Property tax $1,130 · NJ Transit pass $255 · on a $597,500 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
- Union Twp$597,500354 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$503,000140 sales
- Union Twp$380,00052 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$6,815 / month
- Union Twp$3,258 / 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
- Union Twp$10,849 / year$509 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
- Union Twp47.9% Below NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)79.6% Above NJ average
- Union Twp29.9% Below NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)97.6% Above NJ average
- Union Twp95.1% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)6.4% Below NJ average
- Union Twp17.5% Above NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)11:1
- Union Twp13:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)$531 / month
- Union Twp$255 / month
Peak commute time
- Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge)75 min
- Union Twp36 min
Full pages: Bernards Twp (Basking Ridge) · Union Twp. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.