Great small towns near Pennington & Cranbury (Princeton, Washington: renting, big house)

[newtomad]

My husband works in Cranbury and I just got a job in Pennington, so we are figuring out where to buy. Here's our ideal: excellent schools, walkable with a downtown/main street, sidewalks/parks/mature trees, friendly toward young families (our kids are baby and toddler aged), and a commute of less than 40 minutes to our jobs. Don't need a big house or a big yard. I picture our kids learning to bike on our street and having friends down the block. For a 3+BR/2 bath house, our budget is $600k max but we are hoping to spend less than $500k since the economy is so uncertain. We have been renting in Princeton Borough and love it, but are priced out for buying I think.
Thanks!

[Jillian Mason]

Why not Cranbury itself. Cranbury is a great small town, good schools, and has a nice downtown feel. It also fits your price range well. Best of luck!

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by newtomad

My husband works in Cranbury and I just got a job in Pennington, so we are figuring out where to buy. Here's our ideal: excellent schools, walkable with a downtown/main street, sidewalks/parks/mature trees, friendly toward young families (our kids are baby and toddler aged), and a commute of less than 40 minutes to our jobs. Don't need a big house or a big yard. I picture our kids learning to bike on our street and having friends down the block. For a 3+BR/2 bath house, our budget is $600k max but we are hoping to spend less than $500k since the economy is so uncertain. We have been renting in Princeton Borough and love it, but are priced out for buying I think.
Thanks!

No place in Mercer County, which would be equidistant from Pennington or Cranbury, fits that description. I think maybe Hightstown would fit, as far as having sidewalks, downtown, etc., but the schools there are far from excellent. Best schools in the area are in Princeton (as I am sure you already know), West Windsor-Plainsboro, and Montgomery. I wouldn't consider any other district to be excellent.

Actually, you could probably get a home in Plainsboro near the town center/downtown area for about $600K, but it might be an older, smaller place.

[wileynj]

What about Frenchtown??? Hunterdon Co. school systems.

[jerseyj]

Cranbury does send their kids to Princeton HS. but I think you will have a hard time finding a home in your price range there. Check realtor.com, 08512 is Cranburys' zip but be aware that parts of East Windsor and Hightstown share that zip (different school district).

I agree with Sunil's Dad, have a look at Plainsboro (08536), they seem to have a good number of homes under 500k.
Good luck with your search!

[MoorestownResident]

Look in Hopewell, good schools, pretty reasonable housing.

[digi21]

Originally Posted by wileynj

What about Frenchtown??? Hunterdon Co. school systems.

Isn't Frenchtown way out west? I'm thinking that would be a distance from Cranbury, especially (I'm thinking a good hour or more). I'd look at Pennington, Hopewell, and even right across the river in Yardley and Washington Crossing. Montgomery, NJ is a nice town but there is no "downtown" at all. Washington Crossing is in an excellent PA school district (Council Rock) but it doesn't have much of a downtown. Yardley is in a good school district with a cute downtown area. Another very cute town with a great downtown area is Newtown PA (also that Council Rock school district). I think that would be about a 40 minute commute to Cranbury but maybe only 20 minutes to Pennington.

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by digi21

Isn't Frenchtown way out west? I'm thinking that would be a distance from Cranbury, especially (I'm thinking a good hour or more). I'd look at Pennington, Hopewell, and even right across the river in Yardley and Washington Crossing. Montgomery, NJ is a nice town but there is no "downtown" at all. Washington Crossing is in an excellent PA school district (Council Rock) but it doesn't have much of a downtown. Yardley is in a good school district with a cute downtown area. Another very cute town with a great downtown area is Newtown PA (also that Council Rock school district). I think that would be about a 40 minute commute to Cranbury but maybe only 20 minutes to Pennington.

map quest says 30 mins to Pennington..not sure where cranbury is? PA side may be a great options as well ... good suggestion

[MoorestownResident]

But it will be a tough 30+ minutes. Rt 31 is nothing but trucks and slow moving vehicles with no way to pass and that road into Frenchtown is pretty much the same. I wouldn't consider Frenchtown or PA. Pennington is a not a great location for commuting to or from.

[Lucario]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

But it will be a tough 30+ minutes. Rt 31 is nothing but trucks and slow moving vehicles with no way to pass and that road into Frenchtown is pretty much the same. I wouldn't consider Frenchtown or PA. Pennington is a not a great location for commuting to or from.

Correct.....