What is the median rent in Scotch Plains Township, NJ?

Name: Median rent in Scotch Plains Township, NJ, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The median gross rent in Scotch Plains Township, NJ is $2,060 (±$301) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

That is across 1,724 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.

In Scotch Plains Township, the median gross rent went from $1,584 in 2015–2019 to $2,060 in 2020–2024 (+30.1%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median gross rent: $2,060 (±$301)
Rented homes: 1,724 (±271)
$2,000 or more: 54.9%
Since 2015–2019: +30.1%

How much rent costs in Scotch Plains Township

Share of rented homes in each gross-rent range, 2020–2024
Monthly gross rent	Scotch Plains Township	Union County	New Jersey	United States
Less than $500	4.0% (±2.8 points)	4.6%	6.1%	6.3%
$500 to $999	0.0% (±2.6 points)	6.5%	7.9%	20.2%
$1,000 to $1,499	23.2% (±19.3 points)	25.6%	23.5%	28.1%
$1,500 to $1,999	17.9% (±7.1 points)	28.9%	28.5%	21.1%
$2,000 to $2,499	40.9% (±21.9 points)	19.4%	17.2%	12.0%
$2,500 to $2,999	9.5% (±5.2 points)	8.6%	7.9%	5.5%
$3,000 or more	4.5% (±2.9 points)	6.3%	8.9%	6.8%

The most common range is $2,000 to $2,499, paid by 40.9% of renting households.

54.9% of rented homes in Scotch Plains Township cost $2,000 or more a month.

Scotch Plains Township against Union County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Scotch Plains Township	Union County	New Jersey	United States
Median gross rent	$2,060 (±$301)	$1,730 (±$23)	$1,720 (±$7)	$1,413
Rented homes paying rent	1,724 (±271)	84,380 (±1,690)	1,230,839 (±7,912)	42,849,984

In Scotch Plains Township, median gross rent is higher than in Union County ($1,730).

It is also higher than in New Jersey ($1,720).

It is higher than the national figure ($1,413).

In Union County, Scotch Plains Township ranks 9 of 21 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.

Statewide, it ranks 145 of 548.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How rent in Scotch Plains Township has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median gross rent	$1,584 (±$95)	$2,060 (±$301)	+30.1%	No measurable change after inflation
Households that rent	18.0% (±2.5 points)	21.0% (±3.2 points)	+3.0 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Rental vacancy rate	3.0% (±4.4 points)	3.4% (±4.8 points)	+0.4 percentage points	Not a measurable change

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Median gross rent in places near Scotch Plains Township

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Scotch Plains Township
Place	Distance	Median gross rent	Compared with this place
Scotch Plains Township	—	$2,060 (±$301)	—
Fanwood Borough	0.9 mi	$2,446 (±$736)	Not measurably different
Westfield Town	2.0 mi	$2,357 (±$209)	Not measurably different
Plainfield	2.6 mi	$1,767 (±$49)	Not measurably different
Garwood Borough	2.9 mi	$1,753 (±$224)	Not measurably different
Clark Township	3.1 mi	$1,743 (±$59)	Lower
Mountainside Borough	3.4 mi	$3,500 or more	—
Watchung Borough	3.4 mi	$2,738 (±$602)	Higher
North Plainfield Borough	3.6 mi	$1,752 (±$75)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Clark Township, NJ ($1,743).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Watchung Borough, NJ ($2,738).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median gross rent across Union County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent
3	Summit	$2,430 (±$210)
4	Westfield Town	$2,357 (±$209)
5	Berkeley Heights Township	$2,203 (±$257)
6	Cranford Township	$2,199 (±$255)
7	Springfield Township (Union County)	$2,188 (±$153)
8	Union Township (Union County)	$2,064 (±$98)
9	Scotch Plains Township	$2,060 (±$301)
10	Kenilworth Borough	$2,023 (±$263)
11	New Providence Borough	$1,903 (±$119)
12	Rahway	$1,845 (±$142)
13	Hillside Township	$1,794 (±$108)
14	Plainfield	$1,767 (±$49)
15	Garwood Borough	$1,753 (±$224)

Showing 13 of 21 places in Union County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Scotch Plains Township

What is the average rent in Scotch Plains Township, NJ?

The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Scotch Plains Township is $2,060 (±$301) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.

How much has rent gone up in Scotch Plains Township?

In Scotch Plains Township, the median gross rent went from $1,584 in 2015–2019 to $2,060 in 2020–2024 (+30.1%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.

How many rentals in Scotch Plains Township cost more than $2,000 a month?

54.9% of rented homes in Scotch Plains Township have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 4.0% cost less than $500.

Is rent in Scotch Plains Township higher than in Union County?

In Scotch Plains Township, median gross rent is higher than in Union County ($1,730).

It is also higher than in New Jersey ($1,720).

It is higher than the national figure ($1,413).

Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?

No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Scotch Plains township, Union County, New Jersey (county subdivision:66060, in state:34 county:039).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.