Help with moving to Central NJ, which area? (Edison, Trenton: real estate, rentals)

[rockfella]

Hi, I am moving with my wife and 2 toddlers to NJ area in the first week of Aug. I am totally sort of lost as i am moving in from Asia, but want to live in an all American community to benefit from the cultural experience. We have visited New York lots of times before (where i will be working), but we don't want to raise children in the metro areas or urban areas.

Can someone please advise some good areas in the Middlesex County, NJ that to raise a family that is not too expensive on the rentals, yet has a lot of good schools and open areas and most importantly low crime rate and easy access to public transportation and malls within driving range. Someone pointed me to Milltown in Middlesex NJ, i would like to get some more ideas from this forum if possible.
thanks !

[NORMGLO]

Since you indicated Middlesex County is of interest, I suggest researching South Brunswick. It has highly rated schools, lots of Open Space (especially in the southern areas of the County), as well as access to a good highway network and the Northeast Corridor train line of NJ Transit.

[luckyshoes]

Originally Posted by rockfella

Hi, I am moving with my wife and 2 toddlers to NJ area in the first week of Aug. I am totally sort of lost as i am moving in from Asia, but want to live in an all American community to benefit from the cultural experience. We have visited New York lots of times before (where i will be working), but we don't want to raise children in the metro areas or urban areas.

Can someone please advise some good areas in the Middlesex County, NJ that to raise a family that is not too expensive on the rentals, yet has a lot of good schools and open areas and most importantly low crime rate and easy access to public transportation and malls within driving range. Someone pointed me to Milltown in Middlesex NJ, i would like to get some more ideas from this forum if possible.
thanks !

Try Plainsboro. Plainsboro has tons of rentals and is actually quite walkable now. Good luck with your move.

[AnthonyB]

Originally Posted by NORMGLO

Since you indicated Middlesex County is of interest, I suggest researching South Brunswick. It has highly rated schools, lots of Open Space (especially in the southern areas of the County), as well as access to a good highway network and the Northeast Corridor train line of NJ Transit.

Not a bad suggestion. Just a couple of things against it:

The commute to Manhattan is over an hour each way, which might impact the OP.
The OP wanted a specifically "All-American" experience (as much as that is possible in NJ). South Brunswick is probably 35-40% South Asian now (mostly new immigrants). Not that it is a bad thing, but if he or she wants an American cultural experience, a town with such a large group of new arrivals might not offer that.

Course, if he or she loves a good curry........

[DodgeViper01]

Hands down the best schools in Middlesex County are in East Brunswick and South Brunswick. Edison and Metuchen have good schools as well. Between these four towns, I think you should be able to find a rental to meet your needs. What is your price range? If we know that we will probably be more helpful.

GOOD LUCK!

[janeswapit]

I am Realtor and I service the whole state of NJ and I grew up in Hamilton - Mercerville, NJ area.

It is family friendly small town. Nice homes and a pike ride to the train station. Takes about 45 min. or less to get to NY from there.

Close to 195/295 NJ shore area and Phila. and right down the road from Princeton NJ. Mercer County Community College and so on.

Here some history facts about Hamilton - Mercerville NJ

Originally called "Sandtown," Mercerville is named after General Hugh Mercer who died on January 12, 1777 due to wounds incurred at the Battle of Princeton. Hamilton Square was named after Alexander Hamilton in a wave of anti-British feeling at the time of the War of 1812. It previously had been called Nottingham after the British town.

There are a number of historical markers in Mercerville, many detailing the path of the Continental Army under the command of George Washington through the area during the American Revolutionary War, especially related to the night march from the Second Battle of Trenton to the Battle of Princeton.

If you locate Quakerbridge Rd. in Mercerville, NJ you will see the big tree in the middle of the road that George Washington slept under.

[ru848789]

If you want a nice community with a real "downtown," good schools, low crime rate, and a convenient train station, Metuchen is your best choice. Of course, I'm biased, as I've lived there for 16 years, but we still love it and have raised our 15-year old son here and he's still friends with the kids from the local day care and we're still good friends with most of the parents of the kids from that day care (which is conveniently across the street from us). You don't get that kind of stability in most towns. It is 10-20% more expensive for real estate than Edison and other surrounding towns and taxes are higher (we pay $13K), but it's worth it.

Also, almost anywhere in town is a 10-15 minute, or less, walk to the train station, which is also downtown, where there are lots of nice downscale and upscale restaurants. The commute on the train, which is on the NEC line (so no transfers required), is 45-55 minutes, depending on the number of stops. As an aside, the poster from Hamilton has flawed info: trains from there to NYC are 65-75 minutes each way (not 45 minutes; see the link) - Hamilton is a nice town, though. Metuchen is also less than 5 minutes from the Turnpike, the Parkway, 287, 1 and 9, so it's easy to commute from Metuchen to almost anywhere by car (even NYC - if you leave before 6:30 am, it's only a 30-40 minute commute; evenings are tougher). And the closest Jersey Shore points are only 30-40 minutes away, right down the Parkway. Plus, it's only 10 minutes from New Brunswick and all that NB/Rutgers has to offer (great restaurants and bars, great theater/music/art galleries, and now even a pretty good football team).


New Jersey Transit

[rockfella]

Thank you for the suggestions and i will definitely check out Hamilton and Metuchen.
@ru848, i really liked the way your kid (grown up by now i am sure) is still friends with his day care buddies after all these years and that the type of bonding and community we were brought up in and would like our children also to follow the same values.

[Sam0914]

If you are intersted in Union County (where I am from) I would be glad to give you some suggestions. Let me know

[Thosepeskyfacts]

Originally Posted by janeswapit

I am Realtor and I service the whole state of NJ and I grew up in Hamilton - Mercerville, NJ area.

Takes about 45 min. or less to get to NY from there.

If you gre up in Hamilton, you'd know that you have a better chance of winning the MegaMillions than getting to Manhattan in 45 minutes.
No chance. Not ever.

Stop trying to spread these falsehoods.