1st Advantage MortgageIn Morris County, New Jersey, the typical household earns $137,326 a year and the typical rent is $1,904. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Who lives in Morris County
- How Morris County residents earn a living
- What Morris County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Morris County
- Morris County and the counties next door
- Places inside Morris County
- Morris County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- What the numbers mean for Morris County borrowers
- Debt-to-income at Morris County's medians
- Checklist for Morris County applicants
- New Jersey rules that apply in Morris County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Morris County
With an estimated 514,528 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Morris County ranks 10th of 21 in New Jersey for population. Land area is 461 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 1,116 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Parsippany is the biggest of its 49 Census places, at roughly 21,345 people (4% of the county total).
How Morris County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Morris County residents work in education and health care and 17% in professional and administrative services. Compared with New Jersey, the county leans toward manufacturing (11% against 8%). Averaged over the five survey years, 5.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 22% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.1% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Morris County | Compared with New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% | -1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 17.4% | +2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.2% | +3.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 10.4% | +1.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.3% | -1.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.6% | -0.6 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
What Morris County households earn
The median household income in Morris County is $137,326; statewide it is $103,556, so Morris County runs 33% above New Jersey as a whole. In the state ranking that is 3rd of 21.
| Yearly household income | Morris County | Gap to New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 10.5% | -6.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 25.4% | -6.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.8% | +2.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 32.3% | +10.6 pts |
Some 11% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 64% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 4.9% of Morris County residents in poverty, against 9.7% across New Jersey. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.458 here. For a borrower in Morris County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Rent, home values and ownership in Morris County
Renters in Morris County pay a median of $1,904 a month, 11% above the New Jersey figure of $1,720. 45% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 23% spend half or more. Home values center on $582,500, or 4.2 years of median income. Owners occupy 74% of homes. Median construction year: 1971.
| Measure | Morris County | New Jersey | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,904/mo | $1,720/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $582,500 | $454,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 32% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% | 0.9% | n/a |
Because most Morris County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Morris County and the counties next door
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Morris County's, from 16 to 24 miles away. Income ranges from $80,789 in Essex County to $140,374 in Somerset County; 1 of these neighbors top Morris County's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris County | - | $137,326 | $1,904/mo | 74% |
| Essex County, NJ | 16 mi | $80,789 | $1,531/mo | 45% |
| Passaic County, NJ | 18 mi | $87,522 | $1,621/mo | 53% |
| Union County, NJ | 19 mi | $103,202 | $1,730/mo | 57% |
| Somerset County, NJ | 21 mi | $140,374 | $2,033/mo | 74% |
| Sussex County, NJ | 21 mi | $116,186 | $1,585/mo | 84% |
| Warren County, NJ | 24 mi | $100,869 | $1,409/mo | 75% |
Places inside Morris County
The table lists the 14 largest of 49 Census places in Morris County, by population. Together all 49 hold about 319,622 people, so roughly 38% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $250,001 at the median in Mountain Lakes, $62,550 in Victory Gardens. Rent is cheapest in Chester ($1,344) and steepest in Mendham ($3,501). Live in one of these Morris County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsippany | CDP | 21,345 | $99,405 | $1,742 | 7 mi |
| Morristown | town | 20,453 | $121,340 | $2,274 | 6 mi |
| Dover | town | 18,563 | $73,737 | $1,825 | 2 mi |
| Madison | borough | 16,447 | $171,471 | $2,253 | 10 mi |
| Florham Park | borough | 13,564 | $158,696 | $3,109 | 10 mi |
| Lake Hiawatha | CDP | 11,018 | $104,663 | $1,550 | 9 mi |
| Pompton Plains | CDP | 10,971 | $117,959 | $3,129 | 15 mi |
| Lincoln Park | borough | 10,957 | $123,397 | $1,857 | 13 mi |
| Budd Lake | CDP | 10,650 | $114,154 | $1,402 | 10 mi |
| Lake Hopatcong | CDP | 10,259 | $117,625 | $1,686 | 8 mi |
| Kinnelon | borough | 10,013 | $187,438 | $2,282 | 12 mi |
| Succasunna | CDP | 9,799 | $161,712 | $2,516 | 6 mi |
| Chatham | borough | 9,407 | $241,500 | $2,250 | 12 mi |
| Whippany | CDP | 8,970 | $151,420 | $2,556 | 7 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Morris County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 58% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 7.5% for New Jersey.
| Measure | Morris County | New Jersey statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 57.8% | 43.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.1% | 9.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 7.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.1% | 11.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 21.8% | 16.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 9.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.2% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.9% |
| 60+ min | 12.1% |
What the numbers mean for Morris County borrowers
Based on the Morris County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Keeping the car running. At 22% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Morris County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 64% of Morris County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- Tight rental budgets. With 45% of Morris County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Debt-to-income at Morris County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Morris County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $11,444 gross per month ($137,326 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,904, takes 17% of that
- Under a 43% cap, $4,921 total minus rent leaves $3,017
If your rent is above $1,904, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Checklist for Morris County applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Morris County.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A New Jersey license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
New Jersey rules that apply in Morris County
Consumer lenders serving Morris County are licensed by the state, not the county; in New Jersey that is the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the New Jersey state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
The New Jersey guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Morris County household make?
About $137,326 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 33% above the New Jersey median.
How does Morris County rent compare with New Jersey?
$1,904 locally versus $1,720 for the state, 11% above.
What are the biggest places in Morris County?
By population: Parsippany, Morristown, Dover, Madison, Florham Park. The county has 49 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Morris County or elsewhere in New Jersey, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Morris County check a lender's license?
With the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.