Where to live near Mahwah, NJ

Submitted by lh1079 t3_yhgsoa in newjersey

I have a great job in Mahwah and have been living in Morristown for the last 3 years, which has been a convenient commute but I don’t love the area. The nightlife scene there is not for me and seems to be a very young crowd (I’m 29F, single) and there really isn’t much to do outside of that. Looking to move somewhere else, ideally where I can meet new people around my age. I lived in NYC and LA before this and don’t have many friends in the area.

Areas I’m considering moving to are Montclair and White Plains, NY. I’ve also heard great things about Ridgewood but haven’t seen any apartments there in my budget (which is around $2400). I would like to keep my commute to 45 minutes tops. Would appreciate any recommendations!

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Jeabers t1_iudqwd5 wrote

Why not move to Mahwah? I lived there for about 5 years and loved it. Otherwise if you are looking for a more lively crowd you could go to Nyack.

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lh1079 OP t1_iudrsgr wrote

I was looking at Nyack but barely any apartments in my budget

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Jeabers t1_iuds2j1 wrote

Really? That's surprising. White Plains is definitely more expensive than Nyack imo. Ramsey has a train so you can get around. Not much nightlife anywhere around Mahwah as it's a family oriented suburb area.

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lh1079 OP t1_iudrmn4 wrote

It’s a beautiful area for sure but seems more for families. I’m afraid there won’t be much to do and will be difficult to meet people

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mac_a_bee t1_iuebuge wrote

Endorsing u/jeabers' comment, rent across the street from work and use your commuting time and expenses to play in Nyack and Hoboken - if not the City as I did.

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Castor_and_Pollux123 t1_iue25vw wrote

Do not, in any circumstance, live in Mall & Starview Apts (Franklin Tpk & Airmont Rd).

> White Plains

After commuting on I87 & across the Tappan Zee bridge, you will become an acolyte of Cthulhu.

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lh1079 OP t1_iue6q4t wrote

Lmao good point on the commute

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njdaveyray t1_iuftuuk wrote

NJ Realtor here - Check out Hawthorne

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newtojersey32 t1_iudpwww wrote

Ridgewood is nice but very much a family town, so if you didn't like Morristown's nightlife you probably won't like Ridgewood's either. Montclair, Jersey City, and Hoboken are probably the best spots for night life in North Jersey, albeit pushing the 45 minute commute limit you mentioned.

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lh1079 OP t1_iudse21 wrote

True! What I meant about Morristown is I prefer a more chill bar scene. Every bar there becomes a club after 9pm. Jersey City or Hoboken would be great but rough commutes.

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Castor_and_Pollux123 t1_iue5kmo wrote

> Jersey City or Hoboken would be great but rough commutes.

The only way you could handle that was if your work location had a shuttle, to go to the train station.

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lh1079 OP t1_iue6ie3 wrote

Yeah I wish. I actually do have coworkers that commute from those areas but idk how they do it.

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BYNX0 t1_iue7fkx wrote

If by “rough”, you mean dangerous, definitely not. Downtown JC is gorgeous, extremely safe. Hoboken the same thing. Greenville JC can be a bit shady, but still not that bad compared to some other communities in Nj

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lh1079 OP t1_iue89fd wrote

Oh yeah definitely not worried about safety in those areas! I mean the commute would be rough as far as travel time and traffic

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BYNX0 t1_iuebpzi wrote

Yea, and getting out of JC in the morning is Murder

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BacktotheFutureTmw t1_iudw2n5 wrote

Try Ramsey. Nice town and your commute would be very short. Coming from Montclair could take a long time in rush hour.

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BYNX0 t1_iue782f wrote

Ridewood, Paramus, Hackensack, and potentially the Spring Valley/Nanuet Area of New York. Keep in mind your commute may be dramatically longer during rush hour

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lh1079 OP t1_iue8mr2 wrote

I was looking at Hackensack. Wondering if they have a downtown area with things to do

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BYNX0 t1_iuec3xp wrote

I was there a few times. There’s a nice shopping street there “Main St”. Plenty of amazing restaurants there, probably a lot of bars, although I can’t confirm that. Parking on that street is also manageable, especially since most businesses have a back parking lot for their customers. As a funny side note, there’s a ridiculous amount of barbershops in Hackensack, you’ll never need to worry about your hair ever again. GPS Right now says 22 minutes from there to mahwah, but expect 30-35 minutes during rush hour

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acoreilly87 t1_iuft6gr wrote

Commuting to Mahwah from Hackensack is not too bad, since you’d be traveling away from the George Washington Bridge in the morning.

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BYNX0 t1_iufx2hc wrote

Not too bad at all. Route 17 can get rough, but general going in the southern direction in the morning (Toward Newark). Going north on that highway in the morning shouldn’t be very painful

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HumanShadow t1_iudquag wrote

How much does commute factor into your decision? Montclair is probably what you're looking for. That'll mean Parkway and Rt 17 traffic every day but better than the Tappan Zee bridge and its toll if you go with White Plains.

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[deleted] t1_iue0gt9 wrote

Don't you mean the Mario Cuomo bridge? (insert facepalm here)

But yeah, Montclair is nice for a younger person who doesn't want to live in a suburban family town or a place like Morristown. There's a lot of jazz if you're into that, OP

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BYNX0 t1_iue7mbf wrote

Don’t call it that in Westchester or Rockland, you may be killed

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lh1079 OP t1_iue70gs wrote

Montclair is sounding better and better!

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lh1079 OP t1_iuds0f5 wrote

Agreed that Montclair seems like the best choice. Apartment options are slim but keeping my eye out.

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FSchmertz t1_iufm0cr wrote

Long commute, I think. And I'd think rush hour might convince you otherwise.

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the_chizness t1_iue386a wrote

Westwood has a decent town center too. Montclair is prob your best bet something walkable to Bloomfield Ave. I live close to there and it’s usually my date night town to go out

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ashlandbus t1_iuephgh wrote

Have you considered Englewood?

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mrmisenthrope t1_iuf0613 wrote

Pearl River , Rockland County NY. Train to Hoboken and PATH to NYC. Close to Nyack.

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Comfortable_Monk7372 t1_iuf0b61 wrote

Montclair is a battle commuting, if you like Ridgewood, look at the neighboring towns, Glen Rock, Waldwick, maybe even Midland Park.

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throwawayugh822 t1_iufe92h wrote

Another vote for Montclair! I just recently moved out bc we had a baby and bought a house nearby, otherwise we would have stayed in our rental in Montclair for as long as possible. We were in a reasonably priced two bedroom off the Mountain Ave NJ Transit stop within walking distance to some amazing shops and restaurants. The nightlife isn’t as lively as Hoboken or downtown JC, but there are definitely a few bars, great restaurants, and tons of cultural events going on.

Your commute might be a little long at times but my neighbor commuted to Bergen County and didn’t have any issues. Feel free to PM me!

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lh1079 OP t1_iuivr0k wrote

Thank you so much!! Montclair is definitely my first choice right now. If you have any apartment leads definitely let me know!

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throwawayugh822 t1_iuk3vtn wrote

PM me and I can share some contact info for our former landlord!

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Volley37 t1_iudx53a wrote

You will love Ringwood!

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lh1079 OP t1_iue71q3 wrote

I’ll check it out thanks!

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FSchmertz t1_iuflply wrote

It's kinda quiet though.

But it's pretty easy to get to more "happening" places from there. Just don't go too much further west if you need entertainment.

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Copira9 t1_iufko3j wrote

Any place with good nightlife will be rough...Fort Lee might be a good option. 171 to Radburn and then a train to Mahwah. It definitely pushes the amount of the time you were willing to spend to commute though

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FSchmertz t1_iufld29 wrote

You'd probably like Bergen County, but generally apartments ain't cheap there.

Maybe someplace like Butler, Bloomingdale or Pequannock Twp?

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scrubjays t1_iudy5hv wrote

If you want a pet, buy in Bogert Ranch Estates.

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