Where would you live in NJ?

[folkstarbob]

Im favoring Montclair but the taxes are very high. Can anyone recommend a similar town (for the slightly less rich)? Nice architecture, a little yard and a 'downtown' to walk to, that is my ideal. You say you love NJ, prove it.
What's your favorite town in NJ?

[tenspeed]

South Orange if you need to be near New York.  The real estate is cheaper, but I can't imagine the taxes are much better.  When I think of high taxes and nice architecture I think of Montclair, Summit, and Westfield.   

If you don't need to be near New York, you've got your Lambertvilles and your Frenchtowns.  Definitely lower taxes, but also smaller populations, diversity, and the food choices that seem to correlate to all three.  But you are entering Wawa territory--so there's that.  Take a day trip and check them both out.  If nothing else, you'll make a nice day out it.

Finally, Red Bank if you're lucky enough to be by the shore.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Sorry to be predictable, but Maplewood/South Orange. 

Or Newbridge.

[yesno]

Answer from a friend.

Since the only geographical limitation is that this destination town
be in the fair state of New Jersey, I would recommend he leave the
northern counties to the New York heathens who don't know any better.
The towns that best suit his needs are those of Monmouth County. Start
with Red Bank. It is a jewel of early 20th century architecture. The
houses are generally wood frame construction, and when you learn they
are built from extinct species of trees this becomes all the more
endearing. The downtown has beautiful masonry buildings in a concise
and easily walkable urban plan. Two theaters, several pubs, numerous
trashy bars, and a decent shopping district replete with a bona fide
record store (which carries new, real vinyl!) move this town to the
top of the list. For those so inclined to self-punishment, there is a
ferry that will carry you from this paradise to the fire and brimstone
of Manhattan in under an hour.

Neighboring cities with similar characteristics include Asbury Park
(very economical - put your savings towards a flak jacket and an
armored car), Bradley Beach, and Long Branch.

Forgive formatting, too much of a pain to fix on internetPhone.

[~L]

If you are planning on having and raising children Maplewood is the place to be, it's perfect, but there isn't much night life.  If you are planning on buying a house, calculate a lot of extra cash for the high Essex country taxes, (which you can pay through your mortgage payments, but your principal goes down slower.) You also pay separately for trash pick up, sewer tax, water, and you most likely will need a car, and a train pass if you are commuting to NYC for work. South Orange has more rental properties.  If you are single or a young couple holding off on kids, Jersey City offers a better location, closer to NYC and Hoboken, where there is plenty to do and you can easily volunteer at WFMU!

[Keith Whitener]

I am not pro-Red Bank. I live a few miles from there.  I see no reason to visit there. It's always got young people hanging around with nothing for them to do because the demographic of most businesses there is upper middle class. "Hey, let's head down to RB and check out some high thread count pillows!" "Yeah, and then we can buy cheese!"

I suggest living within easy reach of a bus stop or train station.

That said, I see a lot of homes being short sold!

[Greggulator]

Also keep in mind about Red Bank -- that's where Kevin Smith is based out of.

Essex County taxes are the absolute pits. I might have to move back to North Jersey at some point because of my job (since I, under no circumstances whatsoever, would live in the city). I would love to move back to West Orange (my hometown) -- despite the usual teen angst, I had a really great experience growing up since it was an actual neighborhood. And the town is really diverse, which was a great thing to experience growing up (there's seriously every type of ethnic and socioeconomy class living there). But taxes there average something like $14,000/year. That's completely ridiculous! My parents had to take off because of how unaffordable the town became. I can't even imagine what Montclair is like since that has the direct train to the city and a cachet.

[ChipSuey]

Do you mean the adjacent to NYC area of NJ, or the adjacent to Philadelphia area of NJ?  I mostly lived in South Jersey from age 12 on, so I have no idea about the northern parts of the state, but there's always Moorestown or something right?

[buffcoat]

Central Jersey is beautiful.  I've visited many pharmaceutical headquarters there - those execs have picked a nice place to live.

However, it's fairly difficult to get from there to anywhere else.  I live in North Carolina and I can get to NYC about as fast as some of those folks can.

[Alex_from_the_woods]

I would check out Morristown. Some nice neighborhoods with older houses and yards. Morristown is known for lot's of good restarants. There's the community theater for some culture and it's on the train line to Hoboken. I lived there for a years and if I were to move back into a civilized area in NJ, Morristown would be in the running.

[folkstarbob]

Ty everyone for all your input it has been helpful!

[ChrisRawk]

I live in Houston, TX.  Just west of New Jersey.