New Providence is a Union County borough with a delightful small-town charm. Situated between two ridges of the Watchung Mountains, it’s home to tree-lined streets, beautiful parks, excellent K-12 schools, and a manageable commute that draws the New York City crowd. 

In a recent niche.com survey, New Providence was ranked #2 for Best Places to Live in Union County, #10 for Best Suburbs to Live in New Jersey, and received an A+ rating overall.

If you’re considering making a move to northern New Jersey, here are 5 reasons to move to New Providence, NJ:

1. New Providence has excellent K-12 schools

New Providence residents benefit from its highly-rated public school system serving pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades. In the 2018 Top New Jersey Public High Schools rankings by New Jersey Monthly magazine, New Providence High School was ranked ninth. The school system includes two K-6 elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The classroom sizes are small with an enviable 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. New Providence High School is one of New Jersey’s top high schools, ranked #54 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools survey. 

2. New Providence is historic and charming

New Providence is a quiet, historic place spanning a mere 3.6 miles. Its history dates back to 1664 when the land was originally purchased from native Americans. Settled by Puritans, the area was nicknamed “Turkey” in the early days due to large flocks of resident turkeys. Legend has it that Salt Brook was named when local residents dumped salt in the brook to make it unpalatable to George Washington’s soldiers as they marched on to Morristown. Today, the brook is on the town’s seal, and the charming Salt Box Museum sits in the heart of the downtown. 

3. Family-friendly activities abound in New Providence

New Providence is family-friendly with a small downtown strip that offers neighborly coffee shops, restaurants, and famous Barth’s Market. It’s a safe community with almost 13,000 residents. Favorite dining places include Providence Bar & Kitchen, Harlee’s Tap and Grill and Moe’s Bistro & Bar. Around town, you’ll often see residents biking, and New Providence has several playgrounds, an ice-skating rink, two Olympic-sized swimming pools, and public tennis courts. The nearby Watchung Reservation offers nature-packed activities and has hiking trails, streams, and picnic grounds. There are also several local private swim and tennis clubs. 

4. New Providence has affordable housing options for families

New Providence is known for being an affordable place to live, especially in comparison to nearby Summit, Chatham, Short Hills, and Millburn. According to Zillow, the median home price in New Providence is circa $616,000 with most homes selling in the 500,000 to 800,000 range. New Providence also offers condominiums, Foley Square condominiums as one example. In general, homebuyers can take their pick from starter homes through million-dollar homes, and the architectural home styles are varied as well. There are beautiful colonials, Victorians, or modern Craftsman farmhouses. 

5. New Providence offers a manageable commute to NYC

Located just 28 miles west of New York, the daily commute to New York City is manageable. There are two train stations, weekday buses, and easy access to the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, and I-78. The NJ Transit Gladstone Branch train line has service to Hoboken where commuters can transfer and continue into New York City. The other option is to take the Lakeland Rt. 78 bus from South Street to the Summit Park & Ride and take the Midtown Direct line into NY Penn Station. Commuters that stay on the Lakeland bus can get off at the Port Authority Bus Station in Manhattan.  

Are you interested in learning more about life in New Providence, New Jersey? I would love to assist you. Contact Victoria Carter at (973) 220-3050 or email victoria@victoriacarter.com.