Raritan or Branchburg? (Somerset, Somerville, Bernardsville: houses, best schools, pros and cons)

[davenj08]

We have seen a few houses in Raritan and Branchburg and we liked them. We know about Bridgewater being a nice town but are not sure of Raritan or Branchburg - both within 5 minutes off Bridgewater Milltown road community.

Can someone please advice of the pros and cons of Raritan and Branchburg. I will really appreciate some help please!

[FUALL]

Originally Posted by davenj08

We have seen a few houses in Raritan and Branchburg and we liked them. We know about Bridgewater being a nice town but are not sure of Raritan or Branchburg - both within 5 minutes off Bridgewater Milltown road community.

Can someone please advice of the pros and cons of Raritan and Branchburg. I will really appreciate some help please!

Branchburg - Slightly more affluent than Bridgewater and Raritan. Students go to Somerville HS, which is so-so

Raritan - Less affluent than Branchburg and Bridgewater. Students go to Bridgewater- Raritan HS, which is better than Somerville High School

[emanon]

Somerset County, NJ
Somerset County, NJ is the wealthiest county in the United States with an astronomical median household income only rivaled by neighboring Hunterdon County. The kids are snotty because they are brought up wealthy. Somerset County also boasts some of the best schools in the country including Bridgewater-Raritan High School, a state of the art campus whose academics were nationally recognized. BRHS is a blue-ribbon national school of excellence. Other high ranking schools include Ridge High school and Pingry Prep. Somerset County is the home for many famous CEOs who live in the Somerset Hills. The county has some of the largest homes in the state, and some very exculsive towns including Bridgewater (Martinsville), Bernards, Far Hills, Bernardsville, Warren, and Basking Ridge

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[JerseyG]

Originally Posted by emanon

Somerset County, NJ
Somerset County, NJ is the wealthiest county in the United States with an astronomical median household income only rivaled by neighboring Hunterdon County. The kids are snotty because they are brought up wealthy. Somerset County also boasts some of the best schools in the country including Bridgewater-Raritan High School, a state of the art campus whose academics were nationally recognized. BRHS is a blue-ribbon national school of excellence. Other high ranking schools include Ridge High school and Pingry Prep. Somerset County is the home for many famous CEOs who live in the Somerset Hills. The county has some of the largest homes in the state, and some very exculsive towns including Bridgewater (Martinsville), Bernards, Far Hills, Bernardsville, Warren, and Basking Ridge

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Somerset County isn't the highest ranking county in the US...just NJ? Or am I reading the stats wrong?

Ridge HS was featured on a Dateline type show as being one of the top 100 best HS in the country. And I think "safe" has a LOT to do with it.

The rep that Bridwater's HS has is causing a few people I KNOW of to either look for housing in Montgomery or send thier kids to private? So many different opinions and so much to filter through...how do you ever know what is truth and what isn't?

[emanon]

Originally Posted by JerseyG

Somerset County isn't the highest ranking county in the US...just NJ? Or am I reading the stats wrong?

Ridge HS was featured on a Dateline type show as being one of the top 100 best HS in the country. And I think "safe" has a LOT to do with it.

The rep that Bridwater's HS has is causing a few people I KNOW of to either look for housing in Montgomery or send thier kids to private? So many different opinions and so much to filter through...how do you ever know what is truth and what isn't?

That info came from 2003 so it is dated but nowhere is Branchburg mentioned.

Could you please explain the bad rep as I have not heard this before?

You will always have some people who dislike a school system for one reason or another, sometimes because of something they heard from a teanager who was treated unfairly.
I have relatives who teach in Bridgewater and they tell me the kids are no different than in any other district, some are destined for higher learning and some are destined to flip burgers.

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