Morris County, New Jersey Court Filings Intelligence
Analysis of property-related court filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship) in Morris County. See methodology.
Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026.
- Max gross cap rate 6.8% at HUD Fair Market Rent ($26,460/year, 2BR FMR × 12) on the $387,800 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
- 50.2% of filings are Probate, the dominant lead category in Morris County during the observed window.
About Morris County
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about 30 mi (48 km) west of New York City. According to the 2020 census, the county was the state's tenth-most populous county, with a population of 509,285, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 17,009 (+3.5%) from the 2010 census count of 492,276, which in turn reflected an increase of 22,064 (+4.7%) from the 470,212 counted in the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program estimated a 2025 population of 524,251, an increase of 14,966 (+2.9%) from the 2020 decennial census. Morri
Source: Wikipedia
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$387,800 median estimated property value across filings with property-value data.
4.7% New Jersey unemployment rate (BLS, as of 2026-08). Filings should be read against the local-economy backdrop.
Filing type breakdown
| Filing type | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Probate | 50.2% | |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 47.8% | |
| Other | 2.0% |
Each row is a distinct case as recorded on the county docket.
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Geographic concentration by ZIP
The ZIP codes in Morris County with the most property-related court filings, in rank order: where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| Rank | ZIP | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07866 | Rockaway |
| 2 | 07801 | Dover |
| 3 | 07960 | MORRISTOWN |
| 4 | 07849 | Lake Hopatcong |
| 5 | 07885 | WHARTON |
| 6 | 07950 | Morris Plains |
| 7 | 07054 | Parsippany |
| 8 | 07945 | Mendham |
| 9 | 07834 | Denville |
| 10 | 07836 | Mount Olive |
Based on filings with a parseable property address.
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| $150k - $250k | 12.3% | |
| $250k - $400k | 43.9% | |
| $400k+ | 43.9% |
Source: property records. Median $387,800; mean $553,414.
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Building characteristics
Per-property details from third-party property enrichment, aggregated across filings with characteristic data:
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Owner-occupied (at time of enrichment) | 0.0% |
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 198611 Morris County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Morris County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 3.4% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 65.5% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 65.1% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 17.8% | 17.3% |
Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2023 5-year). National reference values are ACS 2022 5-year US totals. Why these matter: vacancy rate is the strongest single proxy for distressed inventory; mortgage-carrying share defines the risk pool exposed to rate environment; pre-1940 stock signals deferred maintenance and renovation opportunity; senior population correlates with probate pipeline depth.
Rent benchmark (HUD Fair Market Rent)
HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the metro area level, so the same FMRs apply to every county within the metro. Morris County sits within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Used to set Section 8 voucher amounts; investors use it as a defensible rent-estimate floor for buy-to-rent underwriting.
| Unit size | Fair market rent / month |
|---|---|
| Efficiency / studio | $1,612 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,822 |
| 2-bedroom | $2,205 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,761 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,137 |
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents (None). 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities. Why this matters: Section-8-eligible tenants are a baseline demand floor for rental inventory at these price points; FMR is the official ceiling for voucher-eligible rents.
New construction (market momentum)
Annual building permits filed in Morris County from the US Census Building Permits Survey. Trend signal on whether new housing demand is accelerating or contracting in this market.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total housing units permitted (2025) | 1,324 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | -35.6% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 61.2% |
| Single-family units permitted | 810 |
| Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building) | 514 |
Source: US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, annual cumulative data. Why this matters: permits trending up signals strong demand for new inventory; permits contracting at the same time foreclosure activity rises indicates broader market softening (deals price differently). Multifamily share shows whether the market is densifying or holding to single-family stock.
Macro context: state home prices and national delinquency
Morris County filings should be read against the broader housing-market backdrop. New Jersey state home-price trend and the national mortgage-delinquency rate are the two macro signals most directly relevant to foreclosure exposure.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey home price index (year-over-year) | +5.4% | 2026-04-01 |
| New Jersey home price index (cumulative since 2020) | +78.2% | 2026-04-01 |
| National mortgage delinquency rate (30+ day, single-family) | 1.86% | 2026-04-01 |
Sources: Federal Housing Finance Agency state house price indices (FRED series NJSTHPI); Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Delinquency 30+Day Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages (FRED series DRSFRMACBS). Updated quarterly. Free public data.
Local-market benchmark
Demographics of the ZIPs where filings cluster, weighted by filing count and benchmarked against Census ACS 2023 5-year:
| Indicator | Filing-weighted average |
|---|---|
| Median household income (where filings cluster) | $132,500 |
| Median home value | $517,753 |
| Owner-occupancy rate | 71.3% |
| Renter share of households | 28.7% |
| Median gross rent | $1,978/mo |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, weighted by Keystone's filing volume across 10 top ZIPs.
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ZIP code distress hotspots
Distress is geographically dispersed, with no single ZIP code dominating. The ZIP codes below are ranked by property-related court filings, most active first.
| Rank | ZIP | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07866 | Rockaway |
| 2 | 07801 | Dover |
| 3 | 07960 | Morristown |
| 4 | 07849 | Lake Hopatcong |
| 5 | 07885 | Wharton |
| 6 | 07950 | Morris Plains |
| 7 | 07054 | Parsippany |
| 8 | 07945 | Mendham |
| 9 | 07834 | Denville |
| 10 | 07836 | Mount Olive |
ZIP codes in rank order, most court filings first.
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Distress composition
Distress diversity score: 1.4 (Shannon entropy across case types; higher = more diverse distress sources). The case-type shares are in the filing type breakdown above.
Property Value Profile
The median assessed value of properties in court filings is $387,800. The largest segment (59.6%) falls in the $250K - $500K range.
| Value range | Share |
|---|---|
| $100K - $250K | 12.3% |
| $250K - $500K | 59.6% |
| $500K - $1M | 17.5% |
| Over $1M | 10.5% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | $387,800 | $553,414 |
Based on public property records for properties with court filings. Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Investment Opportunity Score by ZIP Code
ZIP 07866 (Rockaway) ranks first on the composite opportunity score in Morris County. ZIP codes are listed in rank order, highest score first.
| Rank | ZIP Code | Area |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 07866 | Rockaway |
| #2 | 07950 | Morris Plains |
| #3 | 07801 | Dover |
| #4 | 07960 | Morristown |
| #5 | 07849 | Lake Hopatcong |
| #6 | 07885 | Wharton |
| #7 | 07054 | Parsippany |
| #8 | 07058 | Montville |
| #9 | 07945 | Mendham |
| #10 | 07834 | Denville |
The score blends court-filing activity, property value, absentee-owner rate and case-type diversity. Compare ZIPs within the same county or state, not across markets.
Based on court filings by property ZIP code; ZIPs with too little data are excluded. Property values from public property records.
Property Age & Distress Profile
Among filings with year-built data, the Pre-1960 construction era is most common (50%). Newer properties (2000+) average $895,082, 2.1x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($419,531).
| Construction era | Share | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1960 | 50.0% | $419,531 |
| 1960–1979 | 23.1% | $643,667 |
| 1980–1999 | 12.7% | $839,791 |
| 2000+ | 13.4% | $895,082 |
Value trend: Properties from the 2000+ era average $895,082, which is 2.13x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($419,531).
Top case types by construction era
Construction year sourced from public property records. Value is assessed value from the most recent available tax assessment.
Municipality filing concentration in Morris County
Morris Township has the most property-related court filings in Morris County, predominantly Pre-Foreclosure. Distress is dispersed across many municipalities.
| Rank | Municipality | Top case type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morris Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 2 | Jefferson Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 3 | Roxbury Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 4 | Mine Hill Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 5 | Par-Troy Hills Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 6 | Denville Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 7 | Rockaway Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 8 | Morristown Town | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 9 | Hanover Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 10 | Wharton Borough | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 11 | Mt Arlington Borough | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 12 | Montville Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 13 | Pequannock Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 14 | Randolph Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
| 15 | Mt Olive Township | Pre-Foreclosure |
Municipalities in rank order, most court filings first, among filings with a municipality on the property record. Municipality names from public property records.
Property Value Distribution
The median property value in distressed filings is $518,100, with the largest concentration (53.4%) in the $500K+ range.
| Price range | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| $150K–$200K | 1.4% | |
| $200K–$300K | 8.2% | |
| $300K–$500K | 37.0% | |
| $500K+ | 53.4% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | $518,100 | $679,566 |
Assessed property values from public property records for filings with a valuation. Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Ownership Duration Before Filing
The median ownership duration before a court filing is 12.1 years, with 55.9% of owners holding the property 10+ years (a strong equity signal for investors).
| Ownership period | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | 4.7% | |
| 2–5 years | 24.4% | |
| 5–10 years | 15.0% | |
| 10–20 years | 23.6% | |
| 20+ years | 32.3% |
Tenure by case type
| Case type | Median tenure | Average tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | 12.2 yr | 13.9 yr |
Duration calculated from last recorded property sale to court filing date, for filings with a recorded prior sale. Longer ownership often correlates with higher equity.
Land vs improvement value composition
Across properties with assessed value breakdowns, the median land share is 44.9% (median land value $196,900, median improvement value $225,400). 37.0% of properties are land-dominant (50%+ land value), which makes them potential teardown or vacant-lot targets.
Land share distribution
| Land share bracket | % of total |
|---|---|
| 20–30% | 8.0% |
| 30–50% | 55.1% |
| 50–70% | 35.5% |
| Over 70% | 1.4% |
Land share by case type
| Case type | Median land % |
|---|---|
| Pre-Foreclosure | 44.8% |
Analysis of filings with assessed land and improvement value breakdowns.
Methodology and data sources
- Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026. Court records are public information.
- These statistics describe property-related court filings in Morris County. The owner-of-record match and the entity-owner screen are applied to delivered leads, not to these aggregate statistics.
- Property value figures come from property records where available.
- Individual case data, defendant names, and property addresses are not published. Reports show aggregated statistics only.
- The methodology page at /reports/methodology documents data sources, sample sizes, and known limitations in detail.
- This report is current as of October 2026 (generated 2026-10-21).
Top cities for filings within Morris County
Where filings concentrate inside Morris County, by parsed property city or township, in rank order.
| Rank | City / Township |
|---|---|
| 1 | Morristown |
| 2 | Rockaway |
| 3 | Dover |
| 4 | Mount Olive |
| 5 | Denville |
Related New Jersey guides
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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Morris County New Jersey Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-10-21, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/morris-nj-court-filings-intelligence