Best Places to Live in NJ Near NYC: A Guide to Ideal Commuting and Affordable Real Estate
There are plenty of great places to live in NJ, located right across the river from NYC. These wonderful cities and towns offer a quick commute to Manhattan and attractive real estate prices.
Living in NJ while working in NYC has many advantages. To start, real estate is typically more affordable, and you can enjoy a calmer vibe away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Another perk is tax savings. You will avoid the NYC income tax by living in New Jersey, which can be a significant saving.
7 Best Places to Live in NJ Near NYC
Jersey City
Jersey City is the best place to live in NJ near NYC due to its thriving downtown, fast commute times, and many housing options. This NJ city of 283,000 people also has a thriving nightlife and entertainment scene, with dozens of hot new restaurants and venues opening up each year.
Newport, Paulus Hook, and the Grove Street area are some of the nicest neighborhoods in Jersey City. The commute to NYC from these neighborhoods is also very short, taking under 10 minutes to get into lower Manhattan by Path train. And if you want to commute in style, you can also take the ferry.
In terms of real estate, you’ll find something for everyone in Jersey City, from luxury waterfront condos to historic brownstone rowhouses. The median price of a home in Jersey City is $635,000 as of 2022, although costs vary dramatically based on where you’re looking to buy. For example, in Jersey City’s Waterfront District, the average price of a home is $850,000.
Hoboken
Hoboken is another great place to live in NJ that’s close to NYC. Just like Jersey City, Hoboken is located right across the river from Manhattan, and residents enjoy extremely fast commutes by Path train and ferry. Hoboken also has a large NJ transit station for additional options. All of these transit options make Hoboken one of the best NJ cities to commute to NYC.
Hoboken is well known for its fantastic dining and nightlife scene, which is one of the best in New Jersey. This has helped make the city popular with young professionals. It’s also made Hoboken one of the most expensive places to live in NJ. Rents in Hoboken are almost as high as in NYC. The exciting vibe combined with how close Hoboken is to NYC can make it feel like it’s an extension of Manhattan at times.
Hoboken’s real estate market combines condos, co-ops, multi-family homes, and townhouses. While the best Hoboken condo buildings offer unparalleled luxury, you can also find affordable options in the city. Overall, the median sale price in Hoboken is $775,000 as of October 2022.
Bayonne
Bayonne is another one of the best places to live in NJ that’s close to NYC, especially if you’re on a budget. It’s one of the most affordable towns in Hudson county and offers residents plenty of commuting options, including the light rail and a ferry. You can also drive into the city or take an NJ transit bus to Manhattan, as the Holland Tunnel is only a 10-minute drive away.
Bayonne is also a great place to raise a family, as it’s one of the few places in Hudson County where you can purchase a single-family house for an affordable price, and there are plenty of parks in town, including the verdant Stephen Gregg Park.
Although real estate prices in Bayonne have risen dramatically in recent years, the average price for a home is only $542,000, making it one of the best options for people looking for an affordable place to live in NJ near NYC.
Weehawken
Weehawken is a town of 17,197 people located at the tip of Hudson County, just north of Hoboken. The New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel entrance is located in Weehawken, so it’s no surprise to see Weehawken ranked as one of the best NJ towns close to NYC. You can drive into Midtown Manhattan in under 10 minutes. Commuters can also choose from various other means of transportation, the most relaxing of which is the ferry. Weehawken also has NJ light rail stations and numerous NJ transit bus stops.
But a short commute and a waterfront location aren’t all that make Weehawken great. The town has developed a bustling commercial area along the waterfront, with numerous shops, restaurants, and supermarkets, including Whole Foods. The town also has numerous verdant parks, including Weehawken Waterfront Park, from where you can enjoy stunning views of NYC.
Edgewater
Edgewater is one of the NJ towns near NYC that has exploded in popularity in recent years. Although the town only has 15,000 people, it has been growing quickly, increasing in population from 12,000 since 2017. When many New Yorkers left the city during the covid-pandemic, they chose to move to cities like Edgewater, which offer a calmer vibe while still providing unparalleled access to the city.
One of the many perks of living in Edgewater is the waterfront location and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Besides jaw-dropping views, many of the condos located in Edgewater also feature luxurious amenities for residents to enjoy. Of course, this all comes at a cost, so it’s no surprise that the average home in Edgewater is selling for a median price of $835,000 in 2022. This is up by approximately 60% compared to early 2020, one of the highest increases in the state.
Fort Lee
Another great NJ town near NYC is Fort Lee. Fort Lee is an NJ town on the Hudson River waterfront, right by the George Washington Bridge. As you’d expect, this makes commuting to Upper Manhattan very simple, making the town a popular choice for those who work Uptown.
Fort Lee has a population of 39,251 people, and residents enjoy a variety of real estate options. There are numerous condo buildings, multi-family homes, and single-family homes in Fort Lee. While most houses in Fort Lee sell for over $1 million, you can also find plenty of condos and apartments available for under $250,000 if you’re on a budget.
Whether you’re looking for a house with a yard for the kids to play in or a more affordable condo with low maintenance fees, there’s something for everyone in Fort Lee.
West New York
West New York is a town of just under 60,000 people that is located on the Hudson River waterfront, just north of Weehawken. Since it’s a bit further from the Lincoln Tunnel and less developed, it’s one of the most affordable NJ towns near NYC, with median housing prices in 2022 being $520,000.
Besides affordable housing and a convenient location, West New York offers residents many other benefits, including numerous parks, a waterfront boardwalk, and a vibrant Latin American dining and cultural scene. The only drawback of West New York is that there will be fewer options to commute to NYC, with the NJ Transit bus being your best bet. Otherwise, you can catch the ferry from nearby Weehawken.
Best Places to Live in NJ Near NYC: Bottom Line
There are so many great places to live in NJ near NYC that it can take a lot of work to choose between them. To ensure you make the right decision, you’ll want to consider your budget, lifestyle, ideal commute time, and other needs. That will help you narrow things down to a few towns, at which point it’s worth visiting them all to get a feel for the local vibe and decide which is right for you.
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