Westfield vs. Chatham? (Union, Washington, Raritan: house, schools, pros and cons)

[maya10]

My husband and I have three small children and he works in downtown Manhattan. We need to relocate to be closer to his parents who live in Union, NJ because, unfortunately, my husband's father became very ill recently. We've looked at several towns throughout NJ and have narrowed our choices down to Westfield or Chatham. I grew up on Long Island in a town called Manhasset and we now live in a town adjacent to that one called Port Washington. Both towns are beautiful and have great schools. Schools, a down-to-earth community and commute are our top concerns. We would love to have someone tell us some of the pros and cons of Westfield vs. Chatham and the differences between them. Thanks!

[HelgaB]

Chatham is definitely safer and has better schools. Also, the county tax burden in Chatham (Morris County) is lower than in Westfield (Union County). Actually, these towns belong to different socio-economic groups (DFG) as defined by NJ Dept. of Education; Chatham is at the highest and the most prestigious group (J), while Westfield is a member of the I group. I would say that Chatham is an excellent choice, and Westfield is a very good one. On the other hand, Westfield is closer to Union, NJ, which may be very important in your personal situation. Good luck with your move!

[tahiti]

you can't go wrong with either. both are great choices with great schools. as far as tax burden, the COUNTY tax may be lower in morris, but that's a small part of your tax bill. i think chatham and westfield's overall taxes are probably about the same.

as far as DFG's, not much difference between I and J, and personally, one I'd not base any decision on.

if it were me, i'd find the house i liked the most!

[theS5]

I think that this post explains the difference between the two towns. Chatham is full of wannabe blue bloods. Westfield is much more down to earth.

Originally Posted by HelgaB

Chatham is definitely safer and has better schools. Also, the county tax burden in Chatham (Morris County) is lower than in Westfield (Union County). Actually, these towns belong to different socio-economic groups (DFG) as defined by NJ Dept. of Education; Chatham is at the highest and the most prestigious group (J), while Westfield is a member of the I group. I would say that Chatham is an excellent choice, and Westfield is a very good one. On the other hand, Westfield is closer to Union, NJ, which may be very important in your personal situation. Good luck with your move!

[tommyc_37]

I know Manhasset quite well. Chatham and Westfield are both very similar to Manhasset (and PW) demographically.

Now, the main difference between Chatham and Westfield is that the lots are bigger in Chatham. Chatham has a small downtown, and Westfield has a bigger (and very nice) downtown. I know both Chatham and Westfield VERY well, and trust me...you really cannot go wrong with either town. Both have excellent school as well.

To follow up on HelgaB's post, yes Westfield is closer to Union Township in proximity, but I think you will get to Union FASTER from Chatham since Chatham is right off Route I-78. Chatham is maybe 10 minutes from Union, Westfield you have to drive locally or take Parkway (more of a PIA in my opinion).

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

Originally Posted by HelgaB

Chatham is definitely safer and has better schools. Also, the county tax burden in Chatham (Morris County) is lower than in Westfield (Union County). Actually, these towns belong to different socio-economic groups (DFG) as defined by NJ Dept. of Education; Chatham is at the highest and the most prestigious group (J), while Westfield is a member of the I group. I would say that Chatham is an excellent choice, and Westfield is a very good one. On the other hand, Westfield is closer to Union, NJ, which may be very important in your personal situation. Good luck with your move!

Chatham is also much more rural, farther from NYC and has a smaller downtown. I also don't know get the "much safer" comment. Westfield is about as safe as you can get. From what I hear, the schools are excellent, as well.

[Hal Jalikeakick]

i lived in Chatham for about 5 years. Prior to moving there, my wife and I had narrowed things down to Chatham & Westfield as well.

there are some differences between Chatham Twp & Chatham Borough worth mentioning. from many parts of the borough, you can walk to downtown & the train station. generally speaking, homes are smaller in the borough with smaller lot sizes.

the twp has a bit more of a "country" feel to it. most streets there do not have sidewalks.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by E-TOWN-R.I.P.

Chatham is also much more rural, farther from NYC and has a smaller downtown. I also don't know get the "much safer" comment. Westfield is about as safe as you can get. From what I hear, the schools are excellent, as well.

it's almost like me saying to my neighbor - "my house is much safer since I have 2 deadbolts and you have 1" - when the thief can just break the window and get in anyway...

[maya10]

Thanks to all of you who have posted, your comments are very helpful. I am a teacher, and so I am impressed with Chatham's school ranking. It ranks higher than Westfield's. To me that's a plus. We also like the fact that it seems a bit more rural. We're afraid that Westfield can get congested since the downtown is such a draw. I would prefer a downtown like Westfield's if I knew that the traffic and congestion wouldn't really be an issue. I also wonder whether Westfield has a lot of through traffic due to its geographic location?

From what I have heard from people on this board and elsewhere, Westfield is a down-to-earth place. That's important for us since we are loooking for a town with a strong sense of community and people who are family-oriented and not overly materialistic. We don't know much about Chatham in this regard. Can anyone shed some light on this and the other issues I just described?

[Older&Wiser]

If your hubby needs public transportation to downtown NYC I think Westfield would be easier. Raritan Valley to NK; PATH to downtown.