Moving from New Jersey to Orlando: Costs, Areas and Homes
The median New Jersey homeowner pays $9,358 a year in property tax, and in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth and Morris counties the median is $10,000 or more. Around Orlando, the typical bill is about $2,700 to $3,200. Add a state income tax that runs from 1.4% to 10.75%, and the gap gets wider.
This page puts the real figures side by side, county by county, including the ones that do not flatter Florida, and the New Jersey benefits you give up when you leave.
Get a free New Jersey to Orlando relocation plan
Tell Brenden when you are moving and roughly what you want to spend. He will send back the two or three areas that fit, what that budget buys in each, and how to shop from New Jersey. No cost, no obligation.
Rather talk it through? Call 407-616-9019.
New Jersey vs Central Florida, county by county
Same survey, same year, same definitions, so the comparison is fair. These are what homeowners report, not asking prices.
| Area | Median home value | Median yearly real estate tax | Median monthly owner cost (with mortgage) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen County | $655,400 | $10,000+ | $3,539 | $122,232 |
| Essex County | $578,200 | $10,000+ | $3,342 | $86,708 |
| Hudson County | $575,800 | $9,752 | $3,274 | $96,041 |
| Middlesex County | $518,600 | $9,427 | $2,821 | $115,040 |
| Monmouth County | $674,100 | $10,000+ | $3,065 | $121,269 |
| Morris County | $639,200 | $10,000+ | $3,295 | $137,623 |
| Ocean County | $452,900 | $6,441 | $2,353 | $96,430 |
| New Jersey | $496,000 | $9,358 | $2,797 | $104,294 |
| Orange County, FL | $432,500 | $3,227 | $2,216 | $82,152 |
| Seminole County, FL | $424,600 | $2,745 | $2,069 | $85,403 |
| Lake County, FL | $360,100 | $2,860 | $2,032 | $76,617 |
| Volusia County, FL | $353,500 | $2,696 | $1,891 | $71,508 |
| United States | $360,600 | $3,211 | $2,035 | $81,604 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, tables B25077 (median value of owner-occupied homes), B25103 (median real estate taxes paid), B25088 (median selected monthly owner costs with a mortgage) and B19013 (median household income), pulled 2026-09-16 from api.census.gov. "$10,000+" is the survey's top reporting category, so the true median is at least that.
What the tax difference looks like
Take a married couple filing jointly with $150,000 of New Jersey taxable income in 2025. From New Jersey's own rate schedule: $150,000 x 5.525% minus $2,775 = $5,513 in state income tax. In Florida, the state income tax on the same income is $0.
What you leave behind: New Jersey offsets part of its property tax with relief programs, ANCHOR for residents who meet income limits, Senior Freeze for eligible seniors and disabled homeowners, and Stay NJ for eligible homeowners 65 and older, with benefits of up to $6,500 a year in its 2027 schedule. Each benefit is based on where you lived in an earlier tax year, so it stops for the years after New Jersey is no longer your main home. If you qualified for 2025, you can still file the 2025 application by November 2, 2026, even after you move. Florida's counterpart is the homestead exemption, which requires you to own and live in the home as your permanent residence on January 1 and to apply by March 1.
The year you move: New Jersey has no single part-year return. You file an NJ-1040 for the months you lived there and, if you still have New Jersey income after you leave, an NJ-1040NR. If you will keep working remotely for a New Jersey employer, ask a tax professional how New Jersey treats those wages before you count on the savings.
Sources: New Jersey NJ-1040 instructions (2025), tax rate schedules; GIT-6, Part-Year Residents and Nonresidents; ANCHOR; Stay NJ; Senior Freeze; Florida Constitution, Article VII. Illustration only, not a tax estimate.
What homes actually sold for last month
The Census figures above are what owners estimate their homes are worth. These are real closings in Stellar MLS for August 2026.
| County | Median sale price | Closed sales | Median days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | $425,000 | 1,367 | 34 |
| Seminole | $420,000 | 495 | 28 |
| Lake | $375,000 | 686 | 44 |
| Volusia | $340,000 | 715 | 47 |
Source: Stellar MLS via Bridge RESO API, StandardStatus Closed, PropertyType Residential, closings in August 2026, pulled 2026-09-08. One month is a snapshot, not a trend.
Wondering what a specific budget buys? See what $475,000 buys in Clermont, Winter Garden and Minneola or what $575,000 buys in Lake Mary, Winter Springs and Oviedo.
Where to start looking
It comes down to three questions: will you commute into Orlando, do you want to be near the ocean, and how much house do you want for the money.
Commuting into Orlando
East toward the coast
Areas to compare on price
For scale: over the 12 months to August 2026, Clermont's median closed price was $470,000 against $673,392 in nearby Winter Garden (Stellar MLS closed sales).
Full county-by-county breakdown, homestead rules and a buy-before-you-move plan are in the Relocating to Orlando guide.
What New Jersey movers ask
How much lower are property taxes in Orlando than in New Jersey?
In the Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey, the median New Jersey homeowner paid $9,358 a year in real estate taxes, and the median was $10,000 or more in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth and Morris counties. In Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties the median was $2,696 to $3,227. Those medians include long-time owners whose assessments are capped by Save Our Homes. When you buy, the assessment resets to the home's just value, so a new buyer's first bill is often above the county median. Your own bill depends on the purchase value, local millage and whether you qualify for Florida's homestead exemption.
Does Florida have a state income tax?
No. Article VII, Section 5 of the Florida Constitution bars a state tax on the income of individuals. New Jersey taxed 2025 income at rates from 1.4% to 10.75%.
Do I give up New Jersey property tax relief when I move?
For the years after you move, yes. ANCHOR, Senior Freeze and Stay NJ all require New Jersey to be your main home for the tax year you claim. If you qualified for 2025, you can still file the 2025 application by November 2, 2026, after you move. Stay NJ, for eligible homeowners 65 and older, lists benefits of up to $6,500 a year in its 2027 schedule. In Florida the main property tax break is the homestead exemption on your primary residence.
Are incomes lower in Central Florida than in New Jersey?
Yes, on average. The 2024 median household income was $104,294 across New Jersey and $71,508 to $85,403 in the four Central Florida counties. If you will take a local job, compare the offer, not just the house. If you keep working remotely for a New Jersey employer, ask a tax professional how New Jersey treats those wages.
Price out your move before you list in New Jersey
Send your details and get the areas that fit, with what your budget buys in each.
Call 407-616-9019The Homes In Orlando Team | Brenden Rendo, REALTOR® | NextHome Neighborhood Realty | 407-616-9019 | brenden@homesinorlando.forsale