Trenton Home Prices: $363K, Up 0.4% — 9 ZIPs Analyzed (2026)

$362,686. That’s the typical home value in Trenton, NJ as of February 2026. Prices ticked up 0.4% over the past year — barely a move at all.

Quick answer: The average home price in Trenton, NJ is $362,686 as of February 2026, up 0.4% year over year according to Zillow.

Current Home Prices in Trenton

The Trenton market is flat. Not falling. Not climbing. Just flat.

Across the nine ZIP codes that make up the city, the median home value sits at $362,686. A year ago it was almost identical. The 0.4% annual change works out to about $1,400 — less than a single month of mortgage interest on a typical loan.

Here’s what the headline numbers look like:

The spread between the cheapest and priciest ZIP is wider than you’d expect for a city of 91,000 people. A buyer in 08611 pays roughly $197K. A buyer in 08691 pays $628K. Same city. Same metro. Different markets entirely.

That gap matters. If you’re shopping in Trenton, the citywide median is almost meaningless. Your real budget question depends on which ZIP you can stretch to.

The 12-month trajectory has been narrow. Values peaked at $364,175 last July, then drifted down through winter before stabilizing this spring. Nothing dramatic in either direction.

Trenton Home Prices by Neighborhood

Nine ZIPs. Five with rent data. Here’s the full breakdown:

Most Expensive

08691 tops the list at $628,670, well above every other ZIP and pulling rents up to $2,667 — the highest in the city. 08690 comes in at $476,069, with rents around $2,200. 08620 rounds out the top three at $453,842, though no rent data is reported there.

Most Affordable

08611 is the cheapest at $196,987 — less than a third of what 08691 costs. Rent there averages $2,114, which is striking given how low the home values run. 08609 is next at $211,082, and 08629 comes in at $257,255. All three sit at least 29% below the citywide median.

Rent vs Buy in Trenton

Renting wins on monthly cash flow. The math isn’t close.

Take the city’s median home value: $362,686. Put 20% down ($72,537), finance the remaining $290,149 at a 7% rate over 30 years, and your principal-and-interest payment lands near $1,930 a month. Add taxes (New Jersey runs roughly 2-2.5% of value annually for property taxes — call it $700 a month here) and insurance (~$150), and you’re at $2,780 before maintenance.

Compare that to rent. ZORI data across the five reporting ZIPs:

The citywide rent average across these five ZIPs is roughly $2,327. That’s about $450 less than the all-in monthly cost of buying the median home — and you skip the $72K down payment.

For buyers, the case is appreciation. With prices up just 0.4% in the past year, that case is weak right now. If you plan to stay five years or less, the math leans heavily toward renting.

Population Growth and Migration

Trenton is gaining residents, but the pace is slow.

The city dipped early in the decade, bottomed out in 2022, and has added population in each of the last two years. Net change from 2020 to 2024: +647 people, or 0.7%.

That’s modest growth. Compare it to other New Jersey cities:

Trenton is growing, but every neighbor on this list is growing faster. That helps explain why prices are nearly flat. Demand exists, but it isn’t accelerating the way it is in the cities to the north along the PATH and NJ Transit corridors.

For housing demand, the takeaway is steady but unspectacular. Don’t expect a population-driven price spike.

Trenton Housing Market Trends

The 12-month picture is a slow drift sideways. Here’s the monthly trail:

Values peaked in July 2025 at $364,175 and slid for six straight months before stabilizing. Total drawdown from peak: about $1,500, or 0.4%.

The cheapest ZIP, 08611, has held remarkably steady — bouncing in a tight $197K-$203K band all year. The most expensive ZIP, 08691, peaked near $634K in July and has given back about $6,000 since.

This is what a flat market looks like. No crash, no boom, just chop.

Is Trenton a Good Place to Buy in 2026?

The data doesn’t scream buy or sell. It mumbles “wait.”

Prices are essentially flat. Rents undercut ownership costs by hundreds per month at the median. Population growth is positive but trails every comparable NJ city. None of those signals point to urgent appreciation.

Sellers don’t have much room to push either. With YoY price growth at 0.4%, asking above appraisal is risky. Homes are likely sitting longer than they did during the 2021-2022 surge.

For buyers with patience, Trenton’s lower-priced ZIPs (08609, 08611, 08629 — all under $260K) offer entry points that are rare in the broader New Jersey-New York metro. Just be honest about appreciation expectations: the data supports stability, not rapid gains.

If you need to buy in 2026 for life reasons — job, family, schools — Trenton is reasonable. If you’re chasing investment returns, the current pace doesn’t justify the carrying costs.

Trenton Housing Market Outlook for 2026-2027

The momentum signal is weak.

If the current pace continues, expect Trenton’s median to stay in the $360K-$365K band through the rest of 2026. The 3-month trend (Dec to Feb) shows values up just $195 — essentially noise. The 6-month trend points slightly down, but by less than half a percent.

The 0.4% YoY change is the cleanest signal here: this market is range-bound. Nothing in the trend data suggests a breakout in either direction over the next 3-6 months.

Watch the cheapest ZIPs (08611, 08609) for direction — they’ve been the most stable. If those start to move, the citywide number will follow. The high-end ZIPs (08691, 08690) carry more month-to-month volatility but have outsized influence on the median.

Barring a rate shock, Trenton looks like a flat market through year-end.

Similar Markets in NJ

If you’re shopping the broader NJ market, these cities offer different price profiles:

• Camden — typically lower-priced than Trenton, worth a look for budget buyers.
• Newark — larger market, faster population growth at 2.1%.
• Jersey City — premium market with 3.7% population growth, much higher prices.
• Toms River — coastal alternative with a different buyer profile.
• Elizabeth — mid-priced NJ option with stronger 2.7% population gains.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average home price in Trenton?

The average home price in Trenton, NJ is $362,686 as of February 2026. That number is the Zillow Home Value Index across the nine ZIP codes that make up the city. Individual ZIPs range from $196,987 in 08611 to $628,670 in 08691.

Are home prices going up or down in Trenton?

Prices are up 0.4% year over year. The market has been essentially flat for 12 months, with values peaking at $364,175 in July 2025 and drifting down to $362,686 by February 2026. That’s a tighter range than most US cities.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Trenton?

Renting is cheaper. Average rents across reporting ZIPs run $2,100 to $2,667, while the all-in monthly cost of owning the median $362,686 home (mortgage, taxes, insurance) lands closer to $2,780 — and that ignores the $72,000+ down payment you’d need.

What is the most affordable neighborhood in Trenton?

ZIP 08611 is the cheapest at $196,987, roughly 46% below the citywide average. ZIP 08609 is next at $211,082. Both are well below the metro average and offer the lowest entry points in the city.

Methodology

Home values are based on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a smoothed measure of typical home values in the 35th to 65th percentile range. Rent estimates use the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2020-2024 vintage). All datasets are publicly available. Housing data updated 2026-02-28.