8 Best Places to Live in NJ to Commute to NYC
Not all of us are built for the hustle and bustle of New York City, a place that more than 8 million people call “home.” Luckily, it’s possible to hold down that job on Wall Street or Midtown Manhattan while living in neighboring New Jersey. You just have to choose a city or town in the Garden State that makes commuting to the Big Apple a simple task.
The best places to live in NJ if you’re commuting to NYC are Fort Lee, a 30-minute drive over the GWB, and Weehawken, where you go via car or a ferry across the Hudson. Other commuter towns include Atlantic Highlands, Hoboken, Princeton, Jersey City, Summit, and Hackensack.
There are plenty of towns in New Jersey that are somewhat of a “hub” for commuters to the city. Some Jersey towns are a simple drive over the George Washington Bridge, while others require you to hop onto the bus, train, or even the ferry! Keep reading to learn about the eight best places to live in NJ to commute to NYC.
Fort Lee
Fort Lee is a 3 square mile town, home to 35,000 residents in Bergen County. This tiny city sits snugly along the Hudson River and offers breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. Though small in size, Fort Lee is rapidly expanding into somewhat of a growing metropolis. The downtown area is currently under renovation and will bring new high rise apartments, quaint coffee shops, and retail centers to Fort Lee.
Moving to Fort Lee may mean giving up a single-family home to live in a high rise apartment building. Fortunately, a good portion of Fort Lee’s new residential areas includes luxury apartments that tower over the city below while offering residents amenities like pools and gyms.
The school system in Fort Lee recently won a National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence back in 2011, and there are plenty of private schools to enroll your children in.
Getting From Fort Lee to NYC
Driving: The best way to get from Fort Lee to NYC by car would be via the George Washington Bridge. You can pick up the bridge from Fort Lee, and, assuming you’re leaving before rush hour traffic, you’ll arrive in Washington Heights within 15 minutes.
Biking or Walking: You can also avoid vehicles altogether by walking or biking across the GWB. The 3-mile trek via bicycle can bring you to Harlem, the Bronx, or even Manhattan within 30 to 60 minutes.
Weehawken
Weehawken is a quaint 1.5 square mile city in Hudson County that borders along the Hudson River between Jersey and New York. With over 13,000 residents squeezed into Weehawken, the city boasts more of an urban vibe.
This city along the Palisades offers plenty of housing in the form of townhouses and apartments on the centralized Park Avenue. Weehawken is known for its locally-owned shops, as well as views of the Hudson along the waterfront.
If you’re a parent or plan to expand your family soon, Weehawken is a great place to raise a family. The local school district is considered excellent, boasting small class sizes, individualized student education, and unbeatable ratings. There are also plenty of city parks to give both you and your children a safe place to get some much-needed exercise and exposure to nature.
Getting From Weehawken to NYC
Driving: With just 6.5 miles separating Weehawken and Midtown Manhattan, driving is a great option for the locals. You can take the short trip through the Lincoln Tunnel and, if you’ve successfully avoided that dreaded commuter rush hour traffic, you’ll be in the city within 20 minutes.
Ferry: If you’re dreading the gridlock in New York City, then you may want to take the ferry across the Hudson River instead. All you have to do is pay a visit to the Weehawken Port Imperial and take the 8-minute ferry wide over to Midtown. Shuttle services are also available to bring you to the Weehawken terminal.
Atlantic Highlands
Atlantic Highlands offers a small-town feel down in Monmouth County, with just 4.5 square miles of space and quiet streets. This town of just 4,000 residents is every nature lover’s dream, with ten parks within city limits putting the woodlands, shores, and mountains of Atlantic Highlands on full display.
You’ll be able to make weekend trips to Mount Mitchell, where you can catch a glimpse of the Manhattan skyline in the distance, or the beaches at Sandy Hook.
The town itself is considered a Victorian town and highlights the natural beauty of the Victorian Era in terms of architecture.
Living in Atlantic Highlands means being within driving distance of some of the most bustling Jersey Shore towns, and having a small school system puts your children’s education first. The fact that there are only a few hundred students in each school means your kids will make friends for life.
Getting From Atlantic Highlands to NYC
Ferry: To get to the ferry (the only logical way from Monmouth County to NYC), you’ll need to take the journey down to the SeaStreak ferry terminal off First Avenue. Pay the $47 round trip fare, and you’ll be arriving at the Pier 11/Wall Street terminal within an hour.
Some trips will make an additional stop at the East 35th Street Ferry Landing, which is a simple 10-minute journey from the Wall Street pier.
Though the ferry is expensive via daily rates, you can cut costs by purchasing 40-trip books at a discounted rate. That’s just the price you have to pay to work in the city while calling the Jersey Shore “home.”
Unsure of taking a boat to work? Then, check out the incredible views you’ll capture and amenities you’ll be treated to while onboard the SeaStreak ferry in this video:
Hoboken
Hoboken is one of the most well-known cities in New Jersey, located up north in Hudson County. The city squeezes an impressive 50,000 people into just 2 square miles of space, giving you that urban city vibe without having to move to NYC.
Hoboken is known for its impeccable views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline, all possible if you rent out a unit in a local high rise apartment building.
Hoboken appears to be a focal point of young college-educated residents commuting to the city, with over 50% of residents being college graduates. This city is home to Stevens Institute of Technology, Carlo’s Bake Shop (from Cake Boss fame), and the early history of baseball in America.
The city is organized in a grid pattern like New York, and many locals forego vehicles for bikes and public transportation.
Getting From Hoboken to NYC
Bus: The buses heading out of Hoboken run every 20 minutes and stop at several different locations in Hoboken before heading over state lines. On a good day with minimal traffic, it may take you just 30 minutes to get to the Port Authority Bus Terminal located near Times Square.
Biking/Walking to the Ferry: You can also travel via foot or bicycle along the Hoboken waterfront to the Hoboken ferry terminal located on 14th Street. All it takes is 8 minutes to arrive in Midtown Manhattan on 39th Street. There are additional shuttle services available to transport you to other NYC locations.
Driving: If you’re willing to traverse the rush hour traffic into the city, you can drive your car into NYC through the Holland Tunnel. This 5-mile trip should only take you about 20 minutes, and you’ll end up in the Soho and Lower Manhattan area.
Princeton
Princeton comes with a ton of name recognition and is a city of 30,000 residents spread about 18 square miles in Mercer County. This town is most often recognized as the home of the ivy league Princeton University and the unofficial home of renowned scientist Albert Einstein.
The town of Princeton is the cliche New Jersey suburb, boasting tree-lined streets, uniquely designed homes, and historic architecture.
Princeton High School was awarded the title of 59th best high school in the state back in 2012. There are also plenty of local private schools offering elite education to the diverse population of Princeton, with schools like the Hun School and Princeton Day School achieving national accolades.
The fact that Princeton is nearby Routes 1 and 206 means coffee shops, retail centers, and restaurants are within driving distance.
Getting From Princeton to NYC
Driving: Because Princeton is about 50 miles away from NYC, commuting via car may take you well over 60 minutes. This can potentially be much longer if you’re fighting the typical stop-go rush hour traffic, though it’s an option.
Bus to Train: The best way to get from Princeton to NYC is via train. The first thing you’ll need to do is make your way to the Princeton Junction train station by walking, biking, or taking the “Dinky” (shuttle) from Princeton to Princeton Junction.
From there, you’ll take the train via the Northeast Corridor of NJ Transit to Penn Station in New York. The entire ride should last about an hour or more, though this might be longer given the number of stops the train takes along the way.
Jersey City
Jersey City is considered one of the most populated cities in the State of New Jersey, with around ¼ million residents spread about 21 square miles in Hudson County. Like most towns in Hudson County, Jersey City lines the Hudson River.
The city is known for being a hotspot for tourists given the fact that Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the face of America, is located within city limits.
Living in Jersey City comes with a great education, as Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School once earned the state title for the best public high school in the state. Jersey City is known for being culturally diverse, providing impressive shopping districts in areas like Journal Square, and having a real estate market loaded with multi-family homes and apartments.
Jersey City is located within driving distance of all major airports, such as JFK and Newark.
Getting from Jersey City to NYC
Driving: Since Jersey City is about 4 miles away from NYC, it’ll take you about 20 minutes in total through the Holland Tunnel to end up in Soho, Tribeca, or Lower Manhattan.
Bus: You can also pick up the bus at the Journal Square Transportation Center, which will bring you down to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in the city. The NJ Transit bus will make several stops along the way, runs every 40 minutes, and will take about 30 minutes to arrive in NYC.
Ferry: Traveling via ferry means venturing over to the Harborside area of Jersey City. Hop on the vessel, and you’ll be in Midtown or Battery Park City after a short 6 to 8-minute ferry ride.
Train: Lastly, you can pick up the PATH Train at Journal Square in Jersey City. This train takes about 20 minutes or less to reach 33rd Street in New York or the World Trade Center.
Summit
Summit is a 6 square mile town located in Union County and is home to 21,000 local residents. Not only is this a good place to live, but it’s a great place to live, once being recognized as the second-best place to live in the Garden State. Summit is home to the movers and shakers of New Jersey, with many residents being involved in the booming financial or real estate industries.
Summit is popular, given its natural geographical beauty and wildlife. The town is home to the 2,000 acre mountainous Watchung Reservation that offers miles of hiking trails and several arboretums with rare tree species within city limits. The downtown area is a sight to be seen, offering a glimpse into the history of the state via historical buildings, unique architecture, and mom and pop shops.
Getting From Summit to NYC
Driving: Nestled in the small mountains of Union County, Summit is a mere 23-mile drive from New York City. This drive can be completed within 40 minutes if you work to avoid rush hour. The suggested route will bring you through Jersey City, through the Hudson Tunnel, and into Tribeca.
Train: The most popular way to get from Summit to NYC is the train. Head on over to the Summit Station located centrally in town and pick up the Morris & Essex Line. The train will bring you directly to Penn Station in less than an hour in most cases.
Bus: There are possible bus services in Summit as well, though most are run privately and not via NJ Transit like most cities offer.
Hackensack
Hackensack is a small town located in Bergen County that amasses 4 square miles with 43,000 residents. You may recognize this town’s name in a different sense, as Billy Joel namedrops Hackensack in his hit song, “Movin’ Out.”
The town is known for its views of the skyline off in the distance, the Hackensack River that weaves through this town and most of the surrounding towns, and the proximity to NYC.
Hackensack is somewhat of a unique town in NJ, giving off a vibe that resembles a middle ground between city and suburb. The city is known for being widely diverse in terms of religion and ethnicity and provides a cultural immersion that many cities across the state are incapable of doing.
Additionally, the school systems in the area are known for being reputable, and many local kids attend the highly-regarded Bergen County Christian Academy.
Getting From Hackensack to NYC
Driving: The drive from Hackensack to the city is a mere 20 miles, which can take less than 40 minutes. However, expect your commute to take significantly longer if caught in stop-go traffic during rush hour. You have two possible driving routes: Taking the George Washington Bridge into Washington Heights or taking the Holland Tunnel into Lower Manhattan.
Bus: Taking the bus is the most affordable option. Hop on the NJ Transit bus at the Hackensack Bus Terminal, and you’ll be on your way to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in the city. This may take an hour, as there are several stops along the way, and you may need to pick up a connection.
Train: Your final option is to take the train from Anderson St. Station. You’ll be taking the Pascack Valley Line into the Secaucus, New Jersey station. Transfer over to the North Jersey Coast Line, and you’ll arrive in New York Penn Station before you know it.
Conclusion
There are a few things to keep in mind if you plan on living in NJ while commuting to NYC. Consider the following:
- Driving into the city is the best option if you live in a town bordering the Hudson River, with most routes taking 30 minutes or less.
- Taking the train or bus is a great option for avoiding traffic on 20+ mile long commutes, especially if you’re commuting during peak rush hour times.
- Hopping on the ferry is a perfect alternative if you live along the shorelines or riverside in New Jersey and want the most direct route.