If you’re looking to make the move to the suburbs this year, we have some great choices
2020 was, for many of us, a time to take stock of where we are in life. New York families are making big moves, looking to relocate to a suburban town near NYC, so the city we love is still close enough to commute to and be near love ones. For those who can work from home, the lure of the move to the suburbs has never been more favorable. And we got you covered, dear reader. Below, we’re sharing some of the hottest suburbs featuring great schools, bustling communities, nature, access to the arts, and more.
The Top Towns to Move to:
Maplewood, NJ
Listing: 17 Courter, Maplewood, NJ
This gorgeous home includes six-bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms with 3,563-square-feet. Built in 1925, the home features a renovated kitchen, large spacious rooms, a recreation room, and much more. It’s also located within close proximity to the train station, downtown Maplewood, and Memorial Park.
A popular destination for NYC families for years, Maplewood is known for its charming appeal, quaint downtown, arts and culture scene, entertainment, fairs, and an excellent school system. A township of Essex County, the area is also only 30 minutes from NYC, offering a best of both worlds scenario for those who don’t want to be that far from the city. Mark Slade of Keller Williams noted, “Maplewood’s Village, its downtown shopping district, is noted as being the only one in the state of New Jersey that doesn’t have a stop light and is actually not on a county or main road; you have to make a purposeful trip off a county road to make your destination.” He added, “Maplewood’s centralized park, known as Memorial Park, was designed by the Olmstead brothers who designed NYC’s Central Park.”
Westfield, NJ
Listing: 231 Kimball Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey
Built in 1900, this eight-bedroom, bathroom-bathroom single-family home has never been on the market and is quite a gem. Known for its expansive windows, the stunning home also has a detached garage, central air, and even a barn and a child’s play home where kiddos can explore and have access to space. The property is also located within close proximity to downtown, schools, and NYC transportation.
Located in Union County, New Jersey, Westfield is dubbed as a “classic town for modern families” that’s only 22 miles outside of NYC and close to Newark Airport. Westfield is also known for its incredible school system that includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Families can also enjoy access to numerous parks, greenery, golf courses, recreational facilities, and a vibrant shopping and dining destination with over 450 stores! The area is also rich in culture and architecture where you’ll find many Victorian and Colonial-style homes situated on tree-lined streets. Agent Frank D. Isoldid of Coldwell Banker noted, “There is a home on Dudley and one on Elm Street that is said to be the inspiration for the famous Addams Family house.”
Greenwich, CT
Listing:74 Upper Cross Road, Greenwich, CT
Located on the historic Conyers Farm, this gorgeous gated home features 16 acres of expansive grounds, including conservation land. It also offers ample space with six bedrooms and an additional two-bedroom suite as well as numerous amenities such as an in-ground pool, theater, gym, vaulted exposed beams, wine cellar, outdoor kitchen, log cabin, and fire pit, to name a few benefits. The home is also located within minutes from the heart of Greenwich and known for its blend of luxury and tranquility.
Located in Southwestern Fairfield County, Greenwich is one of the wealthiest towns in Connecticut that is known for its excellent schools, gorgeous homes, bustling downtown, and art scene. Karen Colella, agent of Compass noted, “Greenwich offers eight very unique neighborhoods, diverse in character and vibe, geographical location and pricing. There are also vast opportunities for recreation with 32 miles of shoreline, four beaches, 4,000 acres of parkland and more than 150 miles of horseback riding trails.” Popular attractions in the area include Bruce Museum, Greenwich International Film Festival and access to nearby beaches like Greenwich Point, Byram Beach, Island Beach, and Great Captain Island. The area consists of plenty of public schools with 11 elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school as well as numerous private schools. The town is also located within close proximity to Westchester County and surrounding towns like Darien and Westport as well as easily accessible to NYC via the MetroNorth New Haven line.
Mamaroneck, NY
Listing: 505 Rushmore Ave, Mamaroneck, NY
When looking to relocate to the area, this three-bedroom Colonial is a great fit for families. Located in the Orienta neighborhood, the home features a renovated kitchen, renovated bathrooms, a landscaped, fenced-in, and a private backyard. The home is also located a block away from the parks, beaches, and amenities of Harbor Island.
Located in Westchester County, the village of Mamaroneck is a common hot-spot for transplants that’s only 40-minutes on the MetroNorth from NYC. Mamaroneck is also nearby to many attractions like Otter Creek Preserve, the famous Walter’s hot dogs, and beautiful Harbor Island Park with access to boating and water views. Nature lovers will also enjoy having access to Hommocks Conservation Area with its 10.6-acres of woodlands and Leatherstocking Trail, a 2.5-mile long trail that extends to 15 miles to neighboring towns. Jennifer Ross of Compass noted, “Mamaroneck is a beautiful, coastal suburb that boasts a vibrant downtown area with restaurants, shops and amenities and also provides for access to beaches, boating, and nature.” She added, “There are a variety of neighborhoods with housing options that range from in-town apartments to modest homes to luxurious waterfront properties.” The excellent school system comprises six public schools in the Mamaroneck School District, including four elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and four private schools. The downtown area is filled with small businesses, restaurants, ice skating rink, Olympic-sized pool, and shops that offer a charming appeal.
Montclair/Glen Ridge, NJ
Listing: Glen Ridge/ Montclair
A lovely stone & stucco English Colonial located on Glen Ridge’s favorite North End street, this spacious and charming 5BR/3.2BA Colonial combines timeless details and modern updates. A fully fenced yard, flexible work from home or remote schooling space. Two fireplaces, two-car garage accommodates a growing family. A beautiful and classic Colonial located on Glen Ridge’s favorite street. Insider tip, “Don’t tell anyone, but people from all over bring their kids to trick or treat here.”
Glen Ridge is located in Essex County, which is a suburb of Montclair. The area offers excellent schooling with four schools for grades pre-K-12. Realtor Amy Owens noted, “Glen Ridge Public School District is a highly-rated, public school district with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. The district’s average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public schools in New Jersey.” According to Glen Ridge Borough, “Glen Ridge is home to some of the most well preserved examples of residential architecture from the turn of the 19th Century.” this includes homes from the Victorian and Edwardian era as well as the work of some many famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright. Neighboring suburb Montclair is also a great place to move that’s only 12 miles away from NYC. It’s close proximity makes it easy to have access to the city while still enjoying the benefits of space in the suburbs. Families will discover a “city-like” feel with access to small businesses and a fantastic restaurant scene featuring ethnic dining options. Amy noted, “The Montclair area is incredibly diverse; community and culturally oriented and a perfect blend of suburban/urban living.” They both offer easy access to NYC with 6 train stations in Montclair and 1 in Glen Ridge.
Millburn/ Short Hills, NJ
Listing: 55 Highland Avenue, Short Hills, NJ
With 19th century origins, this two-story center foyer home in Short Hills, New Jersey, is charming with its understated elegance. Wood-burning fireplaces with carved wooden mantels, crown molding, soaring vaulted ceilings, and chandeliers grace the home, and large windows provide soft ambient light. Stylish French doors open to a timeless wrap-around porch and side patio are just a few of the special touches of this unique home.
Short Hills, an enclave of Millburn, is a popular commuter town that many families move to for the excellent schools and access to nature—known more as a residential community with a storybook downtown with a post office, pharmacy, and drug store.
Millburn, on the other hand, is the entire suburban township. Realtor Victoria Carter noted, “Short Hills has separate elementary schools, but the same Middle School and High School as Millburn.” In Millburn, this includes eight schools — many of which were previously ranked as “America’s Top High Schools” in Newsweek.
There is also plenty to do in the area with access to nature at Taylor Park, Greenwood Gardens, Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, and the South Mountain Reservation where families can enjoy their zoo, fishing, hiking, and more. The area is also home to smaller shops in downtown Millburn, Short Hills Mall, and the Paper Mill Playhouse.
Listing: 55 Highland Avenue, Short Hills, NJ
With 19th century origins, this two-story center foyer home in Short Hills, New Jersey, is charming with its understated elegance. Wood-burning fireplaces with carved wooden mantels, crown molding, soaring vaulted ceilings, and chandeliers grace the home, and large windows provide soft ambient light. Stylish French doors open to a timeless wrap-around porch and side patio are just a few of the special touches of this unique home.
Lewisboro, NY
Listing: 321 Overlook Court, South Salem, NY
A stunning three-bedroom, two-full and two-half bathroom home with 3,000-square-feet of living space. Currently under construction, the sun-filled townhouse offers spectacular lakeside views and includes access to pools, tennis, and a basketball court.
Located in Northern Westchester, Lewisboro is made up of six hamlets: Goldens Bridge, Cross River, Waccabuc, South Salem, Lewisboro, and Vista. This area is renowned for its easy access to nature with 4,000 acres of protected land where you’ll find beautiful hikes, trails, and even options for skiing. Some popular attractions include Lewisboro Town Park, Leon Levy Preserve, Mountain Lakes Camp, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and the Trailside Nature Museum, which is actually the oldest museum of its kind in the US. However, the area does not have it’s own center of town but borders Ridgefield, CT and is close to Katonah, NY. The area is also very safe. Donna Blais of Laurel Ridge Townhomes noted, “Lewisboro was ranked, according to Safewise, the safest town in America for the last four years.” She added, “The area has been rated as a top public school district located in South Salem and named the “best school district” in New York state in 2018.”
Livingston, NJ
Listing: 22 Trafalgar Drive, Livingston, NJ
Rost noted, “An entertainer’s dream home, this rare property showcases a seamless blend of glamorous style and effortless living inside and out.” The five-bedroom, 6.1 bathroom home is located on an acre of manicured grounds with numerous amenities like a library, an in-house movie theater, gym, and billiards room. With 6,500-square-feet of space, the home is also outfitted for outdoor entertaining with a salt water pool, outdoor grill and kitchen, gas fireplace, built-in all-weather television, and sports court, to name a few benefits.
A township in Essex County, Livingston is 20 miles from New York City that is renowned for its excellent public schools. Largely residential, the area has many small businesses and restaurants within three shopping areas, including Livingston Mall. Shira Rost of Compass noted, “Livingston offers a myriad of activities for adults and children. There are community-based programs, concerts, movie nights, and wonderful community facilities including two pools, tennis and basketball courts, and playground areas.” For the arts, families can enjoy performances from the Livingston Symphony Orchestra, the Livingston Community Players, the Children’s Theater of Livingston, and the New York Ballet. The public school system comprises nine schools and four private schools. The area also has tons of community parks with more than 470 acres of trails as well as access to zoned areas in its natural state.
