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Waldwick is a small upper Bergen County town around Ridgewood and Allendale and is much more affordable than its neighbors. Within an hour drive of Newark and you can even reach Newark Penn Station by taking a transfer from Secaucus Junction if you wanted to go the transit route. Waldwick schools have good student:teacher ratio and I believe a few are blue ribbon schools. Only about 9,000 people so it has that small town feel. Low crime rate and it has a nice downtown with shops, delis and restaurants. 5 minutes from all the shopping in Paramus and 15 minutes from the NY state border. I'd highly recommend it.
East Brunswick is bigger (around 50,000) with good schools and also easy access to transportation. A great library - one of the best in NJ. Lots more open land & farms down in East Brunswick. Even has its own town water park. Maybe 45 minutes by car to Newark, depending on Turnpike traffic. Can also get train to Newark out of New Brunswick. Houses might even be cheaper right now than Waldwick. Lots of stores on Route 18, but as is typical of central NJ, no downtown...that's annoying
Thank you all for the great information. It has and will be useful as I consider the move! The are so many townships that are so very different in New Jersey.
So far, East Brunswick sounds like the better option. However, I will certainly look into Walwick and other suggested townships along route 78.
The towns mentioned to you in Bergen County - like Waldwick, or anything near Paramus (including Paramus), will mostly be either out of your price range or you will get something very small for that range. But Bergen County is an easy commute to Newark.
The townships along 78 range from very expensive to very cheap, as you get further from Newark. Very close to Newark is expensive, the further you get the cheaper it gets. For your price range for a decent sized house you will be very far from Newark, most likely an hour +.
I think East Brunswick is indeed your best bet. Some of the best schools in the state, down-to-earth/middle class people, decent commute to Newark (what, 20 miles or so up the Turnpike), great shopping and conveniences, parks, Rutgers U nearby as well as other colleges in easy access, and you should find a nice place to live for that price range you gave. It's a beautiful suburb with some working farms nearby that have great farm stands/stores, close to nice countryside, mountains are within a couple hours, NYC is within an hour (easily - actually Staten Island, one boro of NYC, is within only 15 minutes), the Jersey Shore is well within an hour... I think that's the best. Edison is excellent, too, but I have heard that the schools in East Brunswick are better.
I've been to Arlington - went to the ball park when it was new, it is one of the nicest I've ever been to. I think you'll like Middlesex or Monmouth county and they will deliver the most for your money. Good luck!
Hey there---first of all, welcome to NJ. While I do think you guys will be in for a bit of an adjustment, I am sure you will like it here.
I'd like to suggest a few other towns just to round out the list. It sounds like you've got some good suggestions already.
Like everybody else, I'd suggest you scratch Cherry Hill--that is at least a two hour drive to Newark....in no traffic. I think the issue you are probably finding around the Newark area is that it's all very pricey once you get away from the immediate ring around Newark.
You don't say what type of home you are seeking--or neighborhood etc and in you price range, you will have a variety of options--some more attractive than others.
Besides the towns mentioned, I wanted to also suggest Morris County: Some towns to check out in and around Morris County: Parsippany, Whippany, Cedar Knolls, Denville and parts of Morris Township. Generally, Morris County offers decent amenities, good schools and are drivable to Newark (I think max 45 min even with light traffic.) These are towns with access to Rt. 80 and Rt. 280. Generally they are middle to upper middle class areas with decent schools. Mountain Lakes is another possibility but is quite pricey--however, some of the best schools in the area and pretty too boot.
If you are interested in apartment living, Hoboken, Jersey City and Weehawken are options. It's a completely different proposition from suburban Morris County---urban, pricey, hard to find parking and so so schools but access to NYC.
Some other towns to eye ball: Livingston (nice condo rentals and great schools), Cedar Grove (mix of $$ and working class town, smaller homes and good schools)....Millburn (excellent schools, very pricey but some rentals in your budget for smaller, older but charming homes.)....
These are just off the top of my head and I don't guarantee you that I got it 100% right--just sort of going by what I've heard or observed but am sure others can better fit the gap.
Best of luck!
Hi, I am thinking about moving to New Jersey from Albuquerque New Mexico. I work in the school system here, how are jobs in this area? Where is a good place to live SWF.
Last edited by educator8; 10-19-2010 at 03:03 PM..
Reason: not enough info.
My wife and two (teenage) children may be moving to New Jersey from Texas in the next month or so (I'm still undecided). I would be working in Newark, NJ, but will be looking to commute (one hour, give or take 20 minutes). I'm hoping to find a 3-4 Br home (would consider townhouse, apartment or condo- IF NECESSARY) to rent in the $2000 to $3000 (MAX) range. I will be making approximately $80k per year. My wife is a Nurse, so I'm assuming she will find work rather easily and make between $40-$50k (info about any good places for her to work would be a great help too). I would like an area with a good school district, low crime, and good accessability to public transportation, nice restaurants, markets, shopping etc. I have looked at a few places such as the Brunswicks, Cherry Hill (appears to be too far), Plainsboro, W. Windsor, Cranbury, Princeton, Edison etc. Are there any BEST suggestions? Priority rankings are: 1) School district; 2) safety; 3) commute; 4) affordability ($3000 per month-MAX). I know the East coast is far more expensive than Texas, but will my family be stretched and unable to live comfortably with the requirements and salaries we will make?
I know...I'm asking for a lot!
I appreciate your thoughts/opinions and look forward to hearing from you!
PS- please forgive the long-winded post, but I'm trying to give responders as much info as possible to get the most helpful responses!
If you need an apartment in Newark feel free to contact me in this number 973-954-2783. I'm a property manager here in Newark.
try Nutley a great town I lived there for 35 years bforee moving to NC. Low crime good schools.>
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