Shrewsbury, NJ vs Upper Montclair, NJ

Upper Montclair is moderately more affordable than Shrewsbury, with a 6.2% lower cost of living index. Shrewsbury scores 200 compared to 188 for Upper Montclair, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Shrewsbury can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Shrewsbury is $3,300/month compared to $2,290/month in Upper Montclair — a 44% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Upper Montclair has cheaper rent, Shrewsbury actually has lower median home values ($735,900 vs $968,200).

Median household income in Shrewsbury is $144,500 compared to $250,001 in Upper Montclair (-42.2%). Upper Montclair offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Shrewsbury spend roughly 27.4% of their income on rent, more than the 11% in Upper Montclair.