I’m in Weehawken up on the cliff, right on the Union City border. The bus service to Manhattan is amazing up here. I never wait more than 3-4 minutes. That’s because so many different lines converge here. It is a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood but with plenty of access to Manhattan, Hoboken and JC.

The Shades. Very low-lying area.

It’s all over the region. I was in Weehawken a block from my home, crossing in a crosswalk clearly marked “state law stop for pedestrians.” I walked out, the guy swerved around me then stopped to yell, “don’t be an asshole.” I’m the one who nearly got hit, yet I am supposed to be the asshole here. LOL.

Downtown JC is your best bet. I moved to Weehawken earlier this year and I love it, bus service to Port Authority is very fast (10mins) and the buses are very frequent. Having said that, others here who warn against Weehawken are correct insofar as having a car greatly enhances your experience. And also it is much quieter than either JC or Hoboken, very residential.

Which begs the question of why charters close so frequently. In places like Hoboken and Jersey City, it’s not for lack of demand. Start with the extreme hostility of the existing public school system. The pressure on elected leaders to get rid of charters is intense.

These never seem to make it to the market. To OP’s point, developers snatch them up to renovate.