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Tinkrock
Supporter
Username: Tinkrock
Post Number: 117
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 4:44 pm: | 
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My sister and her fiance need to find a place relatively equidistant from NYC and Willow Grove, PA, preferably on a train line. New Brunswick seems to fit the bill, but none of us know the first thing about it. Anyone have experience with its livability? Or any not-too-expensive alternatives in the vicinity? Thanks! |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1512
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 11:52 pm: |
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New Brunswick is part college town, part commercial districts, part industry (J&J's corporate headquarters is there). It is on the train line and is an easy ride into NYC.
Over the past several (or more) years, a lot of money has gone into the town to spruce it up. The downtown is home to lots of cute shops and good restaurants. You have, of course, Rutgers right there. Also, the George Street Playhouse and the State Theater for some top quality entertainment.
I am less familiar with housing costs there, though I do know that there seems to be a wide range of options in terms of cost.
East Brunswick, one town over, is more residential, but also more sprawling, and it lacks the center of town that makes New Brunswick so vibrant. It is also not on the train line, I don't think. I think you'd have to drive to New Brunswick for the train.
Other options include Somerset and Piscataway, though I would tend to avoid the latter.
If you move slightly up in Middlesex County, you have Highland Park, Metuchen, and Edison -- all very livable, all on the train line. In HP and Metuchen, especially, you have good schools and a nice center of town. Middlesex County as a whole is probably not cheap (then again, where is a place that is cheap??) but they do not have the tax burden that we have in Essex County. |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1452
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:05 am: |
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New Brunswick has a lot going for it due to the college. It also has a lot going against it because of the college. 
I went to school there and loved it. If you were trying to avoid the kids, you could do it, but it wouldn't be easy. Highland Park is a bit nicer, but not completely void of the kids either. It's LITERALLY a stones throw away from New Brunswick (on the other side of the banks of the Raritan), has an adorable downtown, much better schools, much more residential in general and with all the benefits of NB so close.
Metuchen is another nice town not horribly far, on the same NE Corridor train line. Also with a cute downtown and a nice stock of houses. Edison isn't a bad option I would say in general, for schools, transportation, and it's probably the cheapest of the lot of them all also on the NE corridor line (except for MAYBE parts of NB). |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13242
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 4:31 pm: |
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New Brunswick is much closer to NYC than to Willow Grove. South Brunswick is in the middle. South Brunswick is south of North Brunswick, which is south of New Brunswick. Confusing, huh? I don't know what the nearest train station is, though.
New Brunswick seems to be a poor place, probably because the university doesn't pay real estate tax (right?). I believe the schools are not well reputed there. But a short walk across the river is Highland Park, with a cute, walkable downtown area and well reputed schools. It's one square mile big. It's pretty diverse, with old people, young people, gays, Orthodox Jews, all kinds. You can walk from Highland Park to the New Brunswick train station.
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mrmaplewood
Citizen
Username: Mrmaplewood
Post Number: 319
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 1:28 pm: |
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How about Princeton? |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 382
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 2:12 pm: |
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princeton =
ka-ching! |
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