New Jersey Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In New Jersey that limit for a family of four runs from $102,450 in Vineland, NJ to $178,000 in Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County, NJ part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area | 102,950 | 117,700 | 132,400 | 147,100 | 158,850 | 170,650 | 182,400 | 194,150 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area | 80,900 | 92,500 | 104,050 | 115,600 | 124,850 | 134,100 | 143,350 | 152,600 |
| Cape May County, NJ part of the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metro area | 98,150 | 112,200 | 126,250 | 140,300 | 151,550 | 162,750 | 174,000 | 185,200 |
| Bergen-Passaic, NJ part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area | 111,950 | 127,950 | 143,950 | 159,950 | 172,750 | 185,550 | 198,350 | 211,150 |
| Jersey City, NJ part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area | 88,600 | 101,300 | 113,950 | 126,600 | 136,750 | 146,850 | 157,000 | 167,100 |
| Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area | 124,600 | 142,400 | 160,200 | 178,000 | 192,250 | 206,500 | 220,700 | 234,950 |
| Monmouth-Ocean, NJ part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area | 113,200 | 129,350 | 145,550 | 161,700 | 174,650 | 187,550 | 200,500 | 213,450 |
| Newark, NJ metro area | 111,400 | 127,300 | 143,250 | 159,150 | 171,900 | 184,600 | 197,350 | 210,100 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area | 98,750 | 112,900 | 127,000 | 141,100 | 152,400 | 163,700 | 174,950 | 186,250 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area | 112,550 | 128,600 | 144,700 | 160,750 | 173,600 | 186,450 | 199,350 | 212,200 |
| Vineland, NJ metro area | 71,700 | 81,950 | 92,200 | 102,450 | 110,650 | 118,850 | 127,050 | 135,250 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Warren County, NJ: the four-person limit is $147,100, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,677 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $3,197 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 11 New Jersey areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.