Stafford Township 2026 revaluation — rate down, bills not one story
Stafford’s published general tax rate fell from about 2.623 to 1.412 after the 2026 revaluation while assessments were reset. That is not the same as every parcel getting a tax cut. This page explains the method; the heat map shows it lot by lot.
Open interactive heat map Stafford tax-rate page Ocean County guide
What changed
A revaluation resets assessed values toward market. The town’s tax levy is still set through school, county, and municipal budgets. When the assessed base rises a lot, the general rate per $100 of assessed value often falls. Homeowners feel the product of the new assessment and the new rate — not the rate alone.
On NJ Property Maps, Stafford’s town page shows the 2026 general rate 1.412 and the prior rate 2.623. The component bars on that page (school / county / municipal) are shares of the local rate sheet, not state aid.
What the heat map measures
The map estimates each parcel’s tax using the published rates and the assessment file, then compares the bill change to how much that parcel’s assessment moved relative to a typical residential (or business) change in town.
- Tax-bill % — estimated tax now vs prior, using the matched rate years the tool documents.
- Vs typical assessment — whether this lot’s assessment grew hotter or cooler than the town median path the tool defines.
- Median construction — homes and business can use different medians; extreme assessment ratios outside about 0.5×–5.0× are excluded from the median only so a few odd lots do not define “typical.”
Colors are not an official tax bill, an appraisal, or advice to appeal. Open the map’s assumptions panel for the exact exclusions.
How to read a parcel
Click a lot on the map (or look it up from Stafford’s town page). You should see the assessment path, the estimated tax path, and the school / county / municipal split for the rate year in use. If a neighbor’s bill moved differently, it is usually because their assessment path differed — not because Stafford has two general rates.
Limits
Estimates omit deductions, added assessments, and special charges. Rate components may be scaled when the county has not posted a final breakdown sheet. Confirm anything that matters with the tax collector or assessor. Methodology · Disclaimer.