The Town FilesChatham, New Jersey
Borough in Morris County · population 9,212 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $984,900
- Household income
- $241,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.8
Chatham is a borough of 9,212 people in Morris County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $984,900, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more upscale than 100% of New Jersey towns, better transit than 96% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 83% of New Jersey towns.
How Chatham ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chatham is worth $984,900, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $241,500, which is more affordable than 39% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,250 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chatham | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $984,900 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,250 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $241,500 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 82.5% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Chatham
| People | Chatham | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 83.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.2% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 36.6% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 39.2 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.5% | 94.6% |
Weather in Chatham
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F. About 50.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.0 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chatham since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 28, 1973 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on December 9, 2009.
Severe weather in Morris County since 1996
Morris County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Morris County
Morris County had 298,824 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $101,208 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Chatham itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Chatham
5 public schools with 3,143 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham High School | 9-12 | 1,216 | 12.0 |
| Chatham Middle School | 6-8 | 842 | 10.4 |
| Lafayette Avenue School | 4-5 | 494 | 9.7 |
| Milton Avenue School | PK-3 | 299 | 12.0 |
| Washington Avenue School | K-3 | 292 | 11.2 |
Towns near Chatham
- Summit, NJ2.0 mi · 22,719 people · home $994,500
- Madison, NJ2.1 mi · 16,937 people · home $943,200
- Florham Park, NJ2.5 mi · 12,585 people · home $791,400
- Chatham, NJ3.0 mi · 10,983 people · home $1,072,600
- Short Hills, NJ3.0 mi · 14,422 people · home $1,674,100
- New Providence, NJ3.1 mi · 13,650 people · home $769,900
- Millburn, NJ3.3 mi · 21,710 people · home $1,371,500
- Springfield, NJ3.9 mi · 17,178 people · home $636,600
Chatham questions
Is Chatham, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chatham scores better for retirees than 39% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 24%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Chatham?
The median owner-occupied home in Chatham is valued at $984,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $241,500, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $2,250 a month.
What is the weather like in Chatham?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.0 inches of snow.
Does Chatham get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chatham since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 28, 1973. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)