If you're looking to rent an apartment or house in New Jersey, trying to find something decent and affordable is a daunting task. You can find cheap rents here and there, but you might not be in a very safe or desirable area. You may also find yourself in an area with no public transportation or just too far from where you work.

The website Rentcafe.com did an analysis on what $1,500 a month gets you in square footage in the New York metro area. Their annual analysis of rental spaces across 100 large and 100 small cities in America has ranked Manhattan last in terms of living space for renters with a monthly budget of $1,500. No surprise there.

In the New York metro area, for $1,500, Manhattan offers the smallest apartment size at 243 square feet, while Newark offers the largest at 774 square feet.

Jersey City is no longer a viable option for those seeking large apartments either, just 362 square feet for $1,500. The typical apartment clocks in at 828 square feet for $3,434. Further south in Central or South Jersey there are options.

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For Central Jersey check out decent apartments in Colonia that come in on budget.

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If you're looking in Somerset you can check out these options.

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Plainsboro is a nice area just north of Princeton that offers some on-budget as well with a few options.

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A little further south in Burlington County is the very decent town of Florence. 

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Mount Laurel is a great town that also has budget-friendly choices.

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Further south into Atlantic County is the nice town of Egg Harbor City which offers plenty of choices at $1,500 a month.

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Outside of Atlantic City and west of the GSP is Galloway with some decent options as well.

It's not easy finding that perfect apartment that meets all of your needs and comes in at your budget but it can be done. For more on where to find the cheapest places to live in New Jersey check out this blog from Rent.com

For so many people who don't want to pick up stakes and head for states with cheaper rents, it is a challenge to find something here in New Jersey. But with a little homework and lots of digging, it can be done!

Gorgeous views: 13 NJ lake house rentals in North Jersey

Lake life — it’s a thing in New Jersey. Sussex, Passaic and Morris Counties have their own shores, held near and dear by visitors and locals, alike.
 
Here's a roundup of a dozen breath-taking lakefront rentals in North Jersey, many along Lake Hopatcong or Upper Greenwood Lake.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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How much does the average NJ home cost? Median prices by county

Everything is costing more these days — and housing is certainly no exception in New Jersey.

Data for 2022 from January through August, compiled by New Jersey Realtors, shows that South Jersey has been seeing homes hit the market and sell in less than a month, on average.

Median prices for single-family homes have reached $500,000 and above in nine counties in North and Central Jersey.

All but two counties have seen houses go for more than the list price, on average, this year.

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