You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in New Jersey.
The median household income in Morris County, the richest county in New Jersey is $130,808, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 21 counties in the Garden State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In New Jersey For 2024
What is the richest county in New Jersey? The richest county in New Jersey is Morris County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Cumberland County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in New Jersey. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in New Jersey and the cheapest places to live in New Jersey.
The Richest Counties In New Jersey For 2024
1. Morris County
Biggest Place: Morristown
Population: 508,816
Median Income: $130,808 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $604,106 (4th highest)
More on Morris County: Data
2. Somerset County
Biggest Place: Somerset
Population: 344,978
Median Income: $131,948 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $576,433 (5th highest)
More on Somerset County: Data
3. Bergen County
Biggest Place: Hackensack
Population: 953,243
Median Income: $118,714 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $646,194 (3rd highest)
More on Bergen County: Data
4. Monmouth County
Biggest Place: Long Branch
Population: 643,064
Median Income: $118,527 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $656,805 (2nd highest)
More on Monmouth County: Data
5. Hunterdon County
Biggest Place: Flemington
Population: 129,099
Median Income: $133,534 (highest)
Median Home Price: $551,130 (8th highest)
More on Hunterdon County: Data
6. Cape May County
Biggest Place: Ocean City
Population: 95,456
Median Income: $83,870 (15th highest)
Median Home Price: $686,592 (highest)
More on Cape May County: Data
7. Middlesex County
Biggest Place: New Brunswick
Population: 860,147
Median Income: $105,206 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $487,590 (11th highest)
More on Middlesex County: Data
8. Union County
Biggest Place: Elizabeth
Population: 572,079
Median Income: $95,000 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $541,735 (9th highest)
More on Union County: Data
9. Sussex County
Biggest Place: Hopatcong
Population: 144,808
Median Income: $111,094 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $390,212 (13th highest)
More on Sussex County: Data
10. Hudson County
Biggest Place: Jersey City
Population: 712,029
Median Income: $86,854 (13th highest)
Median Home Price: $574,117 (6th highest)
More on Hudson County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which New Jersey county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in New Jersey, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in New Jersey for each of the criteria from one to 21, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In New Jersey.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Garden State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in New Jersey. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In New Jersey For 2024
Living in New Jersey can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in New Jersey are Morris County, Somerset County, Bergen County, Monmouth County, Hunterdon County, Cape May County, Middlesex County, Union County, Sussex County, and Hudson County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in New Jersey according to the data:
- Cumberland County
- Salem County
- Atlantic County
For more New Jersey reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In New Jersey
- Best Places To Live In New Jersey
- Safest Places In New Jersey
- Best Counties To Live In New Jersey
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In New Jersey
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morris County | 508,816 | $130,808 | $604,106 |
| 2 | Somerset County | 344,978 | $131,948 | $576,433 |
| 3 | Bergen County | 953,243 | $118,714 | $646,194 |
| 4 | Monmouth County | 643,064 | $118,527 | $656,805 |
| 5 | Hunterdon County | 129,099 | $133,534 | $551,130 |
| 6 | Cape May County | 95,456 | $83,870 | $686,592 |
| 7 | Middlesex County | 860,147 | $105,206 | $487,590 |
| 8 | Union County | 572,079 | $95,000 | $541,735 |
| 9 | Sussex County | 144,808 | $111,094 | $390,212 |
| 10 | Hudson County | 712,029 | $86,854 | $574,117 |
| 11 | Passaic County | 519,986 | $84,465 | $499,903 |
| 12 | Burlington County | 461,853 | $102,615 | $364,189 |
| 13 | Essex County | 853,374 | $73,785 | $567,351 |
| 14 | Mercer County | 383,732 | $92,697 | $388,903 |
| 15 | Gloucester County | 302,621 | $99,668 | $334,596 |
| 16 | Warren County | 109,739 | $92,620 | $368,958 |
| 17 | Ocean County | 638,691 | $82,379 | $482,131 |
| 18 | Camden County | 522,581 | $82,005 | $305,546 |
| 19 | Atlantic County | 274,339 | $73,113 | $333,548 |
| 20 | Salem County | 64,840 | $73,378 | $258,391 |
| 21 | Cumberland County | 153,588 | $62,310 | $238,961 |
