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You for sure want to look on the midtown direct train line. Not only are these towns some of the coolest places to live (in my opinion), but you go straight into Penn Station with no changing trains!
On the Montclair/Boonton Line: Glen Ridge and Montclair.
On the Morristown/Gladston Line: South Orange, Maplewood, Millburn, and Summit
This is with Glen Ridge and South Orange being the closest. (30-35 direct minutes to Penn) and then moving farther away with the other towns. Check New Jersey Transit - Home for schedules.
We live in Glen Ridge now and just purchased a house in South Orange and love both towns. South Orange and Maplewood share a school district, so you should for sure look at both towns. Montclair is also one of my favorite towns in New Jersey, but depending on where you are in town (it has seven train stops), you're commute may be over an hour door to door. And without question Glen Ridge, and South Orange/Maplewood are the definition of family friendly. Its seems the whole of both towns are young families and kids.
All of the above towns have good schools, and all have their pros and cons. Ask away or do a search if you have more specific questions.
OP, that one-hour commute is tough. Not impossible, but it limits your choices. Often just getting from a transportation point on the Jersey border of the Hudson to an office in Manhattan takes 30 minutes alone.
I suggest you look at the NJ Transit website and at the different train lines, and start your search on the towns closest to the city. You will start to get an idea of the types of communities they are and the prices of the real estate therein, as well as the schools. For example, someone mentioned Rutherford (a decent choice, in my opinion). That's the last town before the Secaucus Transfer Station on the Bergen County line. Lyndhurst would be the town on the Main Line, and so forth. In general, the towns with the best schools/more typically suburban areas are going to be farther out.
OP said the job is a very short walk to Penn Station. I do 1 hour door to door from Ridgewood to the Grand Central area on a daily basis, and the subway takes 10-15 minutes of that. Seriously, try this out:
Leave house 6:52 -> 7:02am train from Ridgewood hits Secaucus by 7:27 -> 7:34 train from Secaucus hits Penn around 7:47 - > 5 minute walk, that's an hour commute.
You may want to try the Westfield area. Your husband will have to change trains in Newark but it is easy and the commute time is just under one hour to NY Penn Station. I'm a realtor in Westfield if you need assistance.
OP said the job is a very short walk to Penn Station. I do 1 hour door to door from Ridgewood to the Grand Central area on a daily basis, and the subway takes 10-15 minutes of that. Seriously, try this out:
Leave house 6:52 -> 7:02am train from Ridgewood hits Secaucus by 7:27 -> 7:34 train from Secaucus hits Penn around 7:47 - > 5 minute walk, that's an hour commute.
OK--interesting. I commuted to the WTC for years from Ridgewood, and it never took less than an hour and ten minutes. It was Ridgewood to Hoboken and then PATH to the WTC.
But--Ridgewood is closer geographically to midtown, so I guess that works.
Train in NJ is a ripoff. I'd recommend driving to Hoboken, JC, or Newark and taking the PATH.
Scotch Plains is much more afforable than Summit and Millburn. They have a train station that connects to NYC.
Cranford and Westfield are other good options. Nice downtown area as well.
Taxes are mixed. Not sure which counties are higher than the other. Somerset has real high taxes but Middlesex and Bergen might be less. Essex is through the roof.
$2,000 is not going to get you much in Summit or Millburn. Maybe a 2br apartment. Express trains from Chatham are about 45 minutes, but parking is an issue. There's nothing NOT to like about the Millburn schools. South Orange and Maplewood are closer, but it's a whole different ball game. New Providence was mentioned - nice town - not too expensive. You don't want to change trains at Secaucus and commute from Bergen County IMHO.
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