Medford Real Estate

How property tax works in Medford

In New Jersey, a town's general tax rate is set by dividing what it needs to raise by the total assessed value of taxable property, and each bill is that rate multiplied by the property's assessed value. Medford Township publishes an annual breakdown showing how the total rate (per $100 of assessed value) splits between the local schools, the regional high school district, the county and the township. Rates change each year, so look up the current one.

Burlington County public tax records let you search a property's assessment. State programs such as Stay NJ, Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) and ANCHOR, plus the veteran deduction and the 100% Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption, are explained by the NJ Division of Taxation. Medford Lakes is a separate borough with its own tax rate, so confirm which municipality the home is in.

Public utilities, private wells and septic

The Medford Township Utility Department supplies public water from its own wells, which draw from the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy and Mount Laurel-Wenonah aquifer systems, and supplements that supply with water purchased from New Jersey American Water. The township also has a municipal sewer service area. Outside these service areas, homes may use private wells and septic systems; the township's open space plan notes the Englishtown aquifer serves private wells in the north.

If the home has a private well, New Jersey's Private Well Testing Act (N.J.S.A. 58:12A-26 et seq.) requires the contract of sale to make water testing a condition of the sale, and closing cannot happen until both buyer and seller have received and reviewed the results. Here's what that means for you: build the test into your timeline, and ask for septic records as well.

Pinelands rules and the historic village

Medford Township appears on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission's list of Pinelands municipalities, and the township's own open space plan describes portions of Medford within rural development, regional growth, preservation, forest and special agricultural production areas. Pinelands rules can affect what you can build, clear or add. The Commission's Pinelands Interactive Map lets you search by address or block and lot to see whether a property is in the Pinelands Area and its management area.

Historic Medford Village, along Main Street, includes a historic district. If you are considering a home in or near the village, ask the township what review applies before changing a building's exterior. Medford Lakes is a separate borough, entirely within the Pinelands Area, whose Historic Preservation Commission reviews construction in its own Lakes Historic District.

Lake communities and getting around

Many Medford neighborhoods are built around lakes, and the township's open space plan notes that association clubhouses, pools and lake facilities often involve memberships or fees. Lake access, membership and dues vary from one community to the next. Let's walk through your options: confirm each of these in writing before you sign.

Route 70 runs east-west through the township. Heading west, it reaches Route 73 in Marlton and then I-295 in Cherry Hill. North Main Street (Medford-Mount Holly Road, County Route 541) crosses Route 70 in Medford.

What you will find in Medford

• Homes in and near Historic Medford Village
• Lake-community homes with association membership
• Single-family homes on wooded lots
• Larger or more secluded properties, some on private well and septic
• Homes within planned neighborhoods with clubhouses or pools

Buying in Medford

• Medford Township and the Borough of Medford Lakes are separate municipalities with separate taxes, codes and historic rules. Confirm which one the address is in.
• Parts of Medford Township are under New Jersey Pinelands Commission rules. Check the property on the Pinelands Interactive Map before planning additions or new structures.
• Some homes are on public water and sewer; others use a private well and septic system. If there is a private well, New Jersey's Private Well Testing Act makes water testing a condition of the sale.
• In lake and association neighborhoods, confirm lake access, membership, dues and rules in writing.

How the buying process works →

Selling in Medford

• If your home has a private well, plan for the test required under the Private Well Testing Act. Closing cannot happen until buyer and seller have both received and reviewed the results.
• Gather association or lake-membership documents, utility bills and any septic records so buyers can review them during attorney review.
• Apply to the township early for the smoke alarm compliance certificate New Jersey requires before a one- or two-family home is sold.

What's my home worth? →

Before you buy in Medford: what to check

• Confirm the address is in Medford Township, not the Borough of Medford Lakes.
• Look up the property on the Pinelands Interactive Map to see if it is in the Pinelands Area and its management area.
• Ask whether the home has public water and sewer or a private well and septic system.
• If there is a private well, make sure the contract includes the testing required by the Private Well Testing Act.
• Ask for septic records and consider an independent septic inspection.
• For lake or association neighborhoods, get the membership terms, dues and rules in writing.
• If the home is in or near Historic Medford Village, ask the township what review applies to exterior changes.

Nearby areas