Which Essex County Towns Are Next for Property Tax Revaluation: Bloomfield and Montclair Set for 2028
The Essex County Board of Taxation has laid out which towns get property tax revaluations through 2029, and Bloomfield and Montclair are both on the list for 2028. Here is what the schedule means for your assessment, your tax bill, and what buyers should keep in mind.
What a revaluation actually is
A revaluation is when a town resets every property assessment to current market value. Over time, assessments drift out of line with what homes actually sell for, so the county orders a revaluation to bring them back in balance. The key thing to understand is that a revaluation does not automatically mean your tax bill goes up or down. It redistributes the tax burden: homes that rose faster in value can take on a larger share, while others can see their share shrink. The total amount the town collects is set by the budget, not by the revaluation.
The Essex County schedule
According to the Essex County Board of Taxation, the revaluation schedule through 2029 shapes up like this:
- 2026: Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, and Verona. Glen Ridge was moved up from 2028 to 2026.
- 2027: Caldwell, Fairfield, Newark, and West Caldwell. Fairfield was extended a year to 2027.
- 2028: Belleville, Bloomfield, and Montclair. Montclair's 2028 revaluation is its first since 2018 and updates roughly 11,000 assessed properties.
- 2029: Essex Fells, Millburn, and North Caldwell. Millburn was extended from 2027 to 2029.
West Orange is worth a special note. It is not on this list because the township already completed its revaluation in 2025. If you are comparing towns, that means West Orange homeowners have already been through their reassessment, while Bloomfield and Montclair are still a couple of years out.
What this means for homeowners in Bloomfield and Montclair
If you own in Bloomfield or Montclair, the 2028 date matters even though it is a couple of years away. A revaluation can shift how much you pay relative to your neighbors depending on how your home's value has moved compared with the rest of town. When the revaluation happens, you will get a new assessment and a window to appeal it if you think it is off. Knowing the schedule now lets you track how sale prices near you are trending, so you are ready when that notice arrives.
Montclair's case is especially worth watching because it has been so long since the last one. A town that has not revalued in eight years tends to have more homes sitting well below market value, which is exactly the kind of situation that leads to a bigger shift in who pays what once the reset happens.
What this means for buyers
For buyers, the big takeaway is not to assume the listing tax bill is what you will pay going forward. If you buy a home that was assessed years ago and its assessment is far below the price you are paying, your share of the tax burden can rise after the next revaluation. I always encourage buyers to look at the current assessment, the sale price, and how quickly a town revalues, because that combination tells you a lot about the taxes you are actually taking on.
The good news is that a town with a sensible revaluation schedule tends to keep assessments fair and current, which is healthier for the market in the long run than letting them drift for a decade.
Why property taxes feel so heavy in Essex County
Essex County carries the highest property tax bills in New Jersey. The most recent state-level data show the average homeowner in the county paying about $14,460 a year in property taxes on a home worth roughly $494,000. That is the highest average of any New Jersey county, and it is why the revaluation schedule matters so much to local homeowners: a revaluation in a county with bills this large does not change the total your town collects, but it can meaningfully shift how that total is split among neighbors.
For buyers, this is the number to budget around before you fall in love with a house. Two homes at the same price in the same town can carry very different tax bills depending on how recently their assessments were set, and a revaluation in the years after you buy can reset that number. Looking at the assessment, the sale price, and the town's revaluation year together gives you the real monthly cost of owning, not just the sticker price and the current bill.
The bottom line
Bloomfield and Montclair are set for property tax revaluations in 2028, West Orange already completed one in 2025, and several other Essex County towns are on the schedule through 2029. A revaluation resets assessments to market value and redistributes the tax burden, so it is a good reason to pay attention to how your home and your town compare with the market. If you want a clear, honest read on what a revaluation could mean for your property or a home you are considering, I am happy to walk you through it.
Sources
This story is based on the Essex County Board of Taxation revaluation schedule and reporting by Montclair Local and Essex County Board of Taxation. The county average property tax figure comes from the NJ Homeowner Property Tax Guide (2026 update).
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I cover local real estate and development news across Bloomfield, West Orange, Montclair, and Essex County. If you hear about new construction, zoning changes, or neighborhood issues, I would love to hear about it.