New Jersey · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Sussex County, NJ

Prices around Sussex County, NJ run 12.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $116,186 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,205 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $88,200 a year.

Sussex County, NJ at a glance

Median household income

$116,186$9,682 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,205HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)112.6+12.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity25¢per kWh · EIA Residential NJ
Population145,807Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Sussex County, NJ?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,205Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$88,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,905At 30% of $116,186
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Sussex County, NJ? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Newark, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Sussex County, NJ, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,612$19,344$64,48016.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,822$21,864$72,88018.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,205$26,460$88,20022.8%
3-Bedroom Home$2,761$33,132$110,44028.5%
4-Bedroom Home$3,137$37,644$125,48032.4%

Rent in Sussex County, NJ, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Sussex County, NJ

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $116,186 a year ($9,682 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$4,841/moRent ($2,205 2-BR), utilities (~$225/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,905/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,936/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $116,186 leaves after New Jersey taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and New Jersey tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$116,186
$45,000$235,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$116,186
Net 73%
Fed 14%
NJ 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$85,356After all taxes
Monthly deposit$7,113Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$3,283Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate26.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$16,731 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$5,211 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$8,888 / yr

Living in Sussex County, NJ: common questions

What is the median household income in Sussex County, NJ?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Sussex County, NJ is $116,186 per year (approximately $9,682 per month).

What is the average rent in Sussex County, NJ?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,612 for a studio, $1,822 for one bedroom, $2,205 for two, $2,761 for three and $3,137 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Sussex County, NJ expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 112.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Sussex County, NJ?

To keep a $2,205 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $88,200 a year, or $7,350 a month. That is 76% of what the typical household in Sussex County, NJ earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Sussex County, NJ?

On the local median income of $116,186 ($9,682 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $4,841 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,905 for everything else and $1,936 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,205 takes 46% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Sussex County, NJ?

Homes in New Jersey paid 25¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $225. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.