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Thanks a lot for the detail! I'm looking in Weehawken as well. Is the neighborhood actually small enough to cover on foot?
The commuting price sounds acceptable, it wouldn't be too much of an increase, and I can possibly telecommute one day a week to save money (and now I understand why people do it). I don't mind taking public transportation to Penn Station and just walk the rest of the way, or Port Authority, which is even closer.
As for amenities I guess I'll just have to check it out and ask around.
I don't mind filing the returns. I guess I'll have to look up both NY and NJ state tax to see what the rates are.
As for the budget, I think my max is $1000, and I've found numerous ones in that range in JC (though I don't think they're downtown JC), though I can't be sure of the commute time, or the quality of the area. What is the difference between downtown JC and other areas of JC besides price? I googled downtown JC and it looks like it's not actually the south part of JC?
Edit: Edited last paragraph.
Big difference. Downtown has the quicker commute to NYC via path or ferry. You ideally want to be within walking distance to the following PATH stations: Grove st, Exchange, Newport (in that order). These areas are safer, closer and have more happening (restaurants, nightlife, parks, farmers market, waterfront, etc. ). There are other parts of JC that are fine to live in though. The heights is nice. Journal square is rough around the edges but you can find stuff near the path. With those you give up something whether its safety, commute time, nightlife, etc. But really you should go check out all of them and see what you are comfortable with. But what i can tell you is your best bet is to be within a 5 min walk of a PATH station. Makes life so much easier.
Big difference. Downtown has the quicker commute to NYC via path or ferry. You ideally want to be within walking distance to the following PATH stations: Grove st, Exchange, Newport (in that order). These areas are safer, closer and have more happening (restaurants, nightlife, parks, farmers market, waterfront, etc. ). There are other parts of JC that are fine to live in though. The heights is nice. Journal square is rough around the edges but you can find stuff near the path. With those you give up something whether its safety, commute time, nightlife, etc. But really you should go check out all of them and see what you are comfortable with. But what i can tell you is your best bet is to be within a 5 min walk of a PATH station. Makes life so much easier.
Yea, before finding my place in Weehawken I looked at multiple other places. I looked at Astoria/LIC, Sunnyside, and considered Woodside and Jackson Heights in Queens. As well as Downtown and Journal/McGinley Square areas of Jersey City.
My favorite area was around Van Vorst Park, but it was a little over my budget (mostly looking at 3 bedrooms with roommates). I started looking three years ago when I was at a former job and it was much more affordable.
I recommend making the commute before deciding on one place. The Path is great if working downtown, but working near Grand Central, it stretches the commute a bit. I knew I wanted to be within 15 minutes walk of public transportation (my former living situation was a 25 minute walk/12 minute bike ride, and it was not fun during inclement weather). My current walk between 5-10 minutes, with the stop at Pleasant Ave at Marginal Hwy.
NYC taxes can be a couple thousand dollars higher per year, depending upon your salary. What you do is fill out a NY State Non-Resident tax form, and then you file a NJ tax form. When you get to the end of the NJ tax form, there's a section called "Credit for Taxes Paid to Other Jurisdictions". You add in the info from the NY Non-Resident form, and it exceeds the NJ tax that you owe so you end up owing zero. It's just a pain in the neck because you have to fill out all the information to come up with zero.
I tried ignoring the NJ tax form for a few years, but eventually they sent me letters saying I hadn't filed and then I had to play about fives years' worth of catchup. They didn't penalize me, but they could have, so I don't advise it.
I'm not sure how much Beachrunner's experience was the norm for rent-controlled properties in Weehawken or he just got insanely lucky, but if you can replicate that it's an absolute no-brainer.
I don't really know Jersey City neighborhoods that well (i.e. only know people that live in the nice parts and haven't been there more than a couple times) so I'll defer that discussion to those who do.
The usual time that people get to work , at 9, or maybe even a little earlier, at 8 or 8:30.
A LOT of people get to work much sooner than that Just take a look at the state of the tunnels or trains/buses at 7am on any given day.
Anyway, you can immediately drop the idea of living in Weehawken or Union City. Given the state of the tunnel at 8:30 am, it will take you much longer 30 mins just to get to Port Authority by bus / shuttle. Then it is another hike / subway ride to grand central.
Even living on the PATH line (Jersey city) may not work out for Grand Central. At best you can live in Grove St, take the PATH to WTC, walk a couple of blocks and then take the green line up to Grans Central. 30 minutes would still not be possible, and you would have but tickets on both PATH and NYC subway, which would push it to over $200 a month.
If I were you, I would explore Queens / Astoria, Long Island City and to economize a little more, some place in Westchester like White Plains. Very good connections to Grand Central and lots of housing to chose from.
Btw NY City tax is different from NY State tax. You have to pay state tax if you work in NY, NJ given you a credit for that on the NJ return. NYC city tax is for living in the 5 boroughs.
The previous posting lists that Queens and Long Island City might be better options for your commute to grand central.
If you still want to live in Jersey City, I would say choose a room share arrangement in Newport area. You can find tons of listings on Craigslist where people are looking for roommates. You can get a room in a good 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom apartment and pay $1000 per month.
Please check dates before you post. You are responding to three-month old posts that you've dug up for some reason. The OPs have likely found what they were searching for by now and are not reading what you write.
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Just take a look at the state of the tunnels or trains/buses at 7am on any given day. 
