Metuchen vs Plainfield, NJ
Property taxes, schools, NJ Transit pass and monthly cost for Metuchen and Plainfield, side by side with sources.
At a glance
Plainfield has the lower 2025 average residential tax bill: $9,755 a year, $4,064 less than $13,819 in Metuchen. Plainfield is below the NJ average of $10,340 and Metuchen is above it.
The median single-family sale price is $515,000 in Plainfield and $808,000 in Metuchen, $293,000 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), Plainfield comes to $4,240 a month and Metuchen to $6,411, a gap of $2,171.
Peak commute is 41 minutes in Metuchen and 59 in Plainfield, 18 minutes shorter in Metuchen; the NJ Transit monthly pass to NY Penn is $376 in Plainfield and $408 in Metuchen, $32 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
- Metuchen$6,411 / monthMortgage $4,405 · Property tax $1,598 · NJ Transit pass $408 · on a $808,000 median single-family home
- Plainfield$4,240 / monthMortgage $2,808 · Property tax $1,056 · NJ Transit pass $376 · on a $515,000 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
- Metuchen$808,00043 sales · fewer than 50 sales
- Plainfield$515,000223 sales
Median sale price, condo / townhouse
- Metuchen$520,00012 sales · fewer than 50 sales
- Plainfield$271,4504 sales · fewer than 50 sales
Monthly mortgage
- Metuchen$4,405 / month
- Plainfield$2,808 / 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
- Metuchen$13,819 / year$3,479 above the NJ average
- Plainfield$9,755 / year$585 below 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
- Metuchen80.2% Above NJ average
- Plainfield24.0% Below NJ average
- NJ state53.0%
Meeting math standards
- Metuchen69.7% Above NJ average
- Plainfield18.2% Below NJ average
- NJ state42.0%
4-year graduation rate
- Metuchen95.5% Above NJ average
- Plainfield74.0% Below NJ average
- NJ state91.8%
Chronic absenteeism
- Metuchen10.4% Below NJ average
- Plainfield20.2% Above NJ average
- NJ state14.4%
Student:teacher ratio
- Metuchen12:1
- Plainfield13:1
- NJ state12:1
Commute
NJ Transit adult monthly pass to NY Penn
- Metuchen$408 / month
- Plainfield$376 / month
Peak commute time
- Metuchen41 min
- Plainfield59 min
Full pages: Metuchen · Plainfield. Find a local expert if you want help weighing these two towns.