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I’m a 26 year old professional looking to move some time during late summer. I was looking for a place in northern NJ where there are a lot of young professionals, restaurants/bars, a walkable downtown, and a “happening” nightlife. A lot of young professionals seem to be drawn to Hoboken and Jersey City, however I couldn’t really see myself living in those cities. I have narrowed it down to two towns, and was hoping to get some insight/opinions about them. The two cities are Morristown and Montclair. I have been doing some research for some time now and had the following thoughts about each town:
Morristown:
· It seems to have a pretty vibrant nightlife from what I’ve seen while walking around
· It seems to draw a slightly “older” crowd of people in their 30s
· Its also a small town. I think approximately 3 miles. I worry that since it’s so small, the bars and shops might get old fast.
· I would also say it’s an attractive town and has a very nice park on the outskirts.
Montclair:
· It seems like a much bigger town, both in size and population, than Morristown
· There seems to be a lot of restaurants in the area and I heard it’s “artsy”
· I heard it is also a “dry” town. Does this mean there aren’t many bars in the area?
· When I was there, in Upper Montclair parking seemed to be a bit of an issue. All parking spots were metered and only allowed someone to stay for an hour or two. Is the whole city like this?
· There is a college in the area (Montclair State University). Are the bars packed with twenty one year olds getting wasted on the weekends?
· I heard some parts are a little dicey. Where do young professionals live in the area?
One other thing I should say is that location is not a deciding factor for me. Some people may suggest Montclair over Morristown due to the proximity of NYC. That’s not something that is important to me. What’s important to me is a small city, that has a noticeable amount of young professionals, has a fun nightlife, and is easy to meet other people. Does anyone have any advice? Maybe why I would pick one city over another? Thanks in advance for reading this and providing some insight.
I have experienced both. Montclair has more young people whereas Morristown attracts more families. Montclair also has that urban feel where Morristown is more spread out with less transportation options.
Thanks for the response FacultyM! Your advice will definitely help me with this decision. I did find your post interesting because I always felt that Morristown was more compact than spread out. I also checked out on wikipedia for some demographic information and found out that 50.8% of all households in Morristown were non-families whereas it was 37.4% for Montclair. However, Montclair is bigger and has twice the population of Morristown so maybe it just seems to attract more singles.
If anyone else has lived in either of those two towns or have spent time there, I would be interested in receiving your feedback/opinion. Thanks!
I'm not totally sure Montclair is the right town for a single guy either. It's not a bad choice, mind you, it's just a very family oriented town. The joke goes people move to Brooklyn when they have one kid, then move to Montclair when they have two Lots of young couples and kids. That being said, to answer your questions:
- The town is large, about double the size and population of Morristown
- In my opinion Montclair has the best restaurant scene in New Jersey, and yes, I would definitely describe the population as artsy.
- It is mostly a dry town, with lots of BYOB restaurants. There really isn't a bar scene, per se, but there are a few places with liquor licenses.
- I wouldn't really say parking is an issue in Montclair. You can almost always find a spot, and yes, most spots near any downtown (Upper Montclair, Watchung Ave, or Bloomfield Ave) are metered spots.
- Montclair State is mostly a commuter school - that combined with the fact that are aren't really any bars (and certainly none near the college) means for sure no.
- Parts can get dicey, mostly near Glenfield Park. I would say most young professionals live either near the Bloomfield Ave/Church St downtown area, or near the Walnut Street train station.
Labcjo - great response. You addressed all of my questions for Montclair and I found it to be very insightful. On a side note, I was wondering if you have heard of the following landmarks: Egan & Sons, the Wellmont Theatre, and Cafe Eclectic? I have heard that they were three spots that young people are drawn to. In your experience is that the case?
I was also hoping someone could give me a little insight into Morristown. Similar to how Labcjo and FacultyM answered my questions regarding Montclair. Is it fun? Are there a lot of young professionals? Is it easy to meet people? Does it get old quick due to its small size?
I’m a 26 year old professional looking to move some time during late summer. I was looking for a place in northern NJ where there are a lot of young professionals, restaurants/bars, a walkable downtown, and a “happening” nightlife. A lot of young professionals seem to be drawn to Hoboken and Jersey City, however I couldn’t really see myself living in those cities. I have narrowed it down to two towns, and was hoping to get some insight/opinions about them. The two cities are Morristown and Montclair. I have been doing some research for some time now and had the following thoughts about each town:
Morristown:
· It seems to have a pretty vibrant nightlife from what I’ve seen while walking around
· It seems to draw a slightly “older” crowd of people in their 30s
· Its also a small town. I think approximately 3 miles. I worry that since it’s so small, the bars and shops might get old fast.
· I would also say it’s an attractive town and has a very nice park on the outskirts.
Montclair:
· It seems like a much bigger town, both in size and population, than Morristown
· There seems to be a lot of restaurants in the area and I heard it’s “artsy”
· I heard it is also a “dry” town. Does this mean there aren’t many bars in the area?
· When I was there, in Upper Montclair parking seemed to be a bit of an issue. All parking spots were metered and only allowed someone to stay for an hour or two. Is the whole city like this?
· There is a college in the area (Montclair State University). Are the bars packed with twenty one year olds getting wasted on the weekends?
· I heard some parts are a little dicey. Where do young professionals live in the area?
One other thing I should say is that location is not a deciding factor for me. Some people may suggest Montclair over Morristown due to the proximity of NYC. That’s not something that is important to me. What’s important to me is a small city, that has a noticeable amount of young professionals, has a fun nightlife, and is easy to meet other people. Does anyone have any advice? Maybe why I would pick one city over another? Thanks in advance for reading this and providing some insight.
Most young professionals are not drawn to Jersey City, Hoboken YES, Jersey City NO. Downtown Jersey City has yuppies(older ones if that makes sense) now but most of them use it as a bedroom community so they can hop on a train to Manhattan, its unfortunate but thats how it is now. Hoboken is where young professionals move to so try not to get them confused. Montclair is also somewhat more suburban than Hoboken but probably a good match for you. Morristown is also a good fit but I'd give the edge to Montclair personally.
Actually after thinking about it, your right Montclair does have a pretty huge college type crowd. So I'm on the fence about the two, you should check out both towns on a weekend and I'm sure you can gain enough info to make a good decision.
Thanks for your response cf77! You make a valid point about Jersey City. I've heard that the city becomes a ghost town on the weekends and evenings. I guess Hoboken is really where it's at! However, I just can't seem to see myself living there. On a side note, I am curious to know why you gave Montclair the edge over Morristown?
I also do agre with you that it would be beneficial to visit both towns during the weekend. In fact, I have visited both Morristown and Montclair for at least some period of time and was just hoping to get some more insight from someone/anyone who had either lived in any of those two towns or were just knowledgeable of those areas. I'm the kind of guy who does extensive research before I make any decision, perhaps to a fault...
Anyway, I'm still looking to hear about some feedback about Morristown and as always, I appreciate any and all feedback.
Thanks for your response cf77! You make a valid point about Jersey City. I've heard that the city becomes a ghost town on the weekends and evenings. I guess Hoboken is really where it's at! However, I just can't seem to see myself living there. On a side note, I am curious to know why you gave Montclair the edge over Morristown?
I also do agre with you that it would be beneficial to visit both towns during the weekend. In fact, I have visited both Morristown and Montclair for at least some period of time and was just hoping to get some more insight from someone/anyone who had either lived in any of those two towns or were just knowledgeable of those areas. I'm the kind of guy who does extensive research before I make any decision, perhaps to a fault...
Anyway, I'm still looking to hear about some feedback about Morristown and as always, I appreciate any and all feedback.
Thanks!
No problem my friend. I gave the edge to Montclair because I'm slightly more familiar with the area. It is a nice place but does have that college "party" scene much like Hoboken. I had a few friends that lived in Morristown though and they liked it a lot , said it was a more mature crowd. But if I were you like I mentioned before I would check out both spots and ask around a little. Best of luck.
I would move to Morristown rather then Montclair,personally at your age.
You have already stayed in these two towns. What town felt more like YOU?
With Morristown you can always hang out in places in Morris Plains. Morristown has some wonderful stores and shopping. It has a great transportation hub. There are some great hang out places outside of town for sure.
Unless your in a tourist town there is not as much action in a regular township location.
They will not feel like NYC nor Jersey City. Each town has its own vibe.
Keep looking until the feel is right for you.
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