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Hi. I'm relocating from NYC for work. My new office will be near Trenton, NJ. It's a bit of a commuting hike from Manhattan so I've been looking at my new housing options. One is the Philadelphia area and the other is NJ. Even though I live in NY, I don't know that area of NJ very well. I'm looking for a town/city that has a more urban feel to it? I love living in Manhattan (for the convenience, bustle, ability to walk everywhere and safety). Are there any places in NJ that fit the bill, to some degree? Thanks a bunch.
Stay out of Philly. You will get banged with a 4% wage tax and some areas are very unsafe. Manhattan is generally much safer. I cannot think of any area of NJ that fits your bill either..
Have you looked directly in Princeton, much smaller obviously but some DT areas where you can walk.
CC Philly is a shorter commute than Manhattan and offers a considerable city feel (albeit not Manhattan but what is) but would still be 50+ minutes for a typical commute. Depending on your office location you could take Septa trains to Trenton but not sure how close the offcie is
What area of Manhattan are you looking to compare. There may or may not be a comparable in Philly and Princeton is quaint and walkable and a little vibrant.
One other option might be New Brunswick but still a little rough around the edges.
A last option albeit not much better than Manhattan but removes the tunnels would be Hoboken - would think 70-80 minutes commute and still striking distance to Manhattan on the PATH
One other thought is Newtown PA - very close to Trenton and another quaint DT but not a city more a nice old small town, if you are looking for a city feel its not it but does offer some form of potential walkable area
If you're recommending Hoboken, JC and Newark are closer to Trenton and quite urban. There are still some sections of Newark that are nice as well.
OP, I just moved from Staten Island, after 15 years there but I grew up in Hudson County, NJ. There is no place like Manhattan. Not even Brooklyn has the same feel. So you either stay in Manhattan and deal with the commute plus the city income tax, or you go somewhere different - which is everywhere. NJ's metro NY area is quite urban and that has spread to many of the cities/towns further out, such as the Brunswicks but, as mentioned above, it will definitely not be Manhattan-like. And you will want/need a car wherever you go.
Philly has a feel close to Manhattan but, nope, doesn't make it (Hubby grew up teen years in Philly). It's got a lot of the city advantages (not all) and also the disadvantages, including the city income tax. You might find it more to your liking.
I don't know much about Trenton but I don't think you'll find what you're looking for there.
If you're recommending Hoboken, JC and Newark are closer to Trenton and quite urban. There are still some sections of Newark that are nice as well.
OP, I just moved from Staten Island, after 15 years there but I grew up in Hudson County, NJ. There is no place like Manhattan. Not even Brooklyn has the same feel. So you either stay in Manhattan and deal with the commute plus the city income tax, or you go somewhere different - which is everywhere. NJ's metro NY area is quite urban and that has spread to many of the cities/towns further out, such as the Brunswicks but, as mentioned above, it will definitely not be Manhattan-like. And you will want/need a car wherever you go.
Philly has a feel close to Manhattan but, nope, doesn't make it (Hubby grew up teen years in Philly). It's got a lot of the city advantages (not all) and also the disadvantages, including the city income tax. You might find it more to your liking.
I don't know much about Trenton but I don't think you'll find what you're looking for there.
Good luck and welcome to the rest of the world.
Thanks. I've been to the rest of world - from Asia to Europe to Africa - and it's lovely. I'm just asking for people's insight... isn't that the point of these forums?
Have you looked directly in Princeton, much smaller obviously but some DT areas where you can walk.
CC Philly is a shorter commute than Manhattan and offers a considerable city feel (albeit not Manhattan but what is) but would still be 50+ minutes for a typical commute. Depending on your office location you could take Septa trains to Trenton but not sure how close the offcie is
What area of Manhattan are you looking to compare. There may or may not be a comparable in Philly and Princeton is quaint and walkable and a little vibrant.
One other option might be New Brunswick but still a little rough around the edges.
A last option albeit not much better than Manhattan but removes the tunnels would be Hoboken - would think 70-80 minutes commute and still striking distance to Manhattan on the PATH
Best of luck in your search
Thanks for the help and insight. I've been to Princeton a few times. Nassau Street in DT Princeton is great, but limited real estate in the vicinity (Princeton University seems to own a chunk of it) though there was a cute apartment I saw, but it's literally across the street from the cemetery.
I've lived all over Manhattan - Harlem (Columbia University for my masters), Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Midtown East and West as well as Grammercy and the East Village. I essentially hopped around every year. The only area that I didn't like was midtown west - Too many commercial buildings, too many tourists, way too dirty.
Philly has a feel close to Manhattan but, nope, doesn't make it (Hubby grew up teen years in Philly). It's got a lot of the city advantages (not all) and also the disadvantages, including the city income tax. You might find it more to your liking.
Philly is no Manhattan.... but I think 1 thing it does have a lot of is good, solid bars and restaurants. You may be able to find an area to your liking. I know some people that commute from Philly to Trenton. not impossible.
Have you looked into Collingswood? By no means urban, but worth a look.
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