Going to Columbia U in NYC 4 Grad School, Where to live w/ parking? (Newark: to rent)

[sweetcheekssia]

Hello friends! I'm looking to rent a place to live in North Jersey. I'll be starting Grad School at Columbia University soon. Here's the thing: I have a car and I want to keep my car. So I need a place where I can park it safely. Here's the other thing: my boyfriend and a I are moving in together so he needs to be able to commute back and forth from North Jersey to Trenton, NJ. Don't worry, he commutes from NYC to Trenton now on the Amtrak so he's used to the commute.

I currently reside in a suburb of Trenton, NJ so I am familiar with urban centers so please don't fill my inbox with sex, crime and gang talk. I work in Trenton, NJ and cover Newark, Camden and Philly so I know what it is...LOL.

Where would be the best place for us to live? I need to hop a train to Columbia U everyday for class and he needs to be able to get to Trenton, NJ everyday for work. I was thinking Jersey City or Hoboken but I'm hearing from those residents that my commute will still be an hour to get up to 116th street!

If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! Thanks!

[juliann1977]

Yikes. A Columbia commute and Trenton?!? Assuming you really want to do this, I'd look in Bergen county, up towards the GWB. Maybe, Fort Lee?

But that would require a bus... If you want trains, JC or Hoboken would be the way to go. I guess.

[sweetcheekssia]

i'm not opposed to a bus...and he's been doing the Amtrak thing for so long that he's used to it. it actually works out better for him b/c he'll be commuting to Trenton from NJ now, instead of NYC.

[DodgeViper01]

Matters what your price range is. Bergen county would be your best bet but it can get expensive. You can also try cheaper counties like Middlesex or Somerset.