Chatham Twp vs Madison, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Chatham Twp and Madison, side by side with sources.
At a glance
Madison has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $15,897 a year, $2,476 less than $18,373 in Chatham Twp. Both are above the NJ average of $10,340.
The median single-family sale price is $1,421,000 in Madison and $1,990,200 in Chatham Twp, $569,200 more (GSMLS, 2025 closed sales).
Peak commute is 46 minutes in Chatham Twp and 51 in Madison, 5 minutes shorter in Chatham Twp.
On the district results, Madison's district is higher on 4-year graduation (97.9% vs 96.5%), ELA (78.8% vs 74.8%) and math (70.0% vs 68.5%).
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
- Chatham TwpNo NJ Transit rail station in town; residents typically use Chatham station in Chatham Borough
- Madison$9,973 / monthMortgage $7,747 · Property tax $1,818 · NJ Transit pass $408 · on a $1,421,000 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
- Chatham Twp$1,990,20096 sales
- Madison$1,421,000105 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Chatham Twp$465,00043 sales · fewer than 50 sales
- Madison$810,00023 sales · fewer than 50 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Chatham Twp$10,851 / month
- Madison$7,747 / 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
- Chatham Twp$18,373 / year$8,033 above the NJ average
- Madison$15,897 / year$5,557 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
- Chatham Twp74.8% Above NJ average
- Madison78.8% Above NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Chatham Twp68.5% Above NJ average
- Madison70.0% Above NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Chatham Twp96.5% Above NJ average
- Madison97.9% Above NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Chatham Twp6.3% Below NJ average
- Madison9.2% Below NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Chatham Twp11:1
- Madison11:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Chatham TwpNo NJ Transit rail station in town; residents typically use Chatham station in Chatham Borough
- Madison$408 / month
Peak commute time
- Chatham Twp46 min
- Madison51 min
Full pages: Chatham Twp · Madison. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.