Are you considering relocating but aren’t quite sure where you want to live? Making a move to the Garden State offers many advantages. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or upgrading to a larger home, you’ll find plenty to like about New Jersey, including these 15 benefits.  

Easy Access to Big Cities and Small Towns

New Jersey is home to many charming small towns, but it's also close to several large cities. No matter if you're looking for a weekend getaway or quick day trip, New Jersey provides an easy (and beautiful) route to all nearby large cities. In fact, New York City, Syracuse, Boston, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and other East Coast and Northeast Cities are within easy driving distance of your New Jersey home.

The best part of living near big cities is the culture, history, and experiences they offer. Imagine being able to take your kids to the MET on a day trip, or to see Niagara Falls on a weekend road trip. Living in New Jersey means being able to pack a bag, hop in the car, and head out for a completely new atmosphere and experience within a matter of hours.

If you also enjoy exploring quaint small towns, New Jersey offers a convenient home base for trips to the Poconos, New Hope, PA; Jim Thorpe, PA; Lancaster, PA; Saratoga Springs, NY; and Lake George, NY.

Perks of Being the "Garden State"

New Jersey is consistently one of the highest producers of fruit and vegetables in the United States. Ranking in the top ten for multiple berries, New Jersey is the perfect place to live if you love farm-to-table freshness! 

During the warmer months of the year, farmers' markets throughout Central New Jersey sell vine-ripened tomatoes, large ears of corn, tasty blueberries, and juicy peaches grown in our very own state. Produce isn’t the only thing you’ll find at farmers' markets. Many markets also sell beef, poultry, cheese, baked goods, candles, honey, soap, and other products.

Plentiful Job Opportunities

Finding a job in New Jersey isn’t difficult, thanks to the large number of companies that have offices in New Jersey or are headquartered here. In fact, more than 4.5 million people are employed in the state. Major employers include:

• Terumo

• Miele

• Covance

• Amneal Pharmaceuticals

• MISTRAS Group

• Catalent

• Citigroup

• Met Life Insurance

• Sanofi-Aventis

• Johnson & Johnson

• Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

• Daiichi Sankyo

• Pfizer

• AT & T

• Verizon

• Linde America

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch

• Novo Nordisk

• Celgene

• Quest Diagnostics

• Bristol-Myers Squibb

• Rutgers, The University of New Jersey

• Princeton University

New Jersey is also home to many small businesses and non-profit organizations, ranging from accounting firms to retail stores to hair salons. If you’ve always dreamed of starting your own company, you’ll find plenty of potential customers in the state. New Jersey may be small, but it’s home to almost 9 million people. 

Winning Sports Teams to Cheer On!

Have you been dying to root for a winning team? If you don’t mind supporting a few New York teams, you’ll love being a sports fan in New Jersey. We’re enthusiastic about our teams here, which leads to lively conversations at the grocery store or sports bar. No matter where you live, you’re bound to meet a few people who share your support of your favorite team. 

Among the most popular professional teams in the state are the Devils hockey team, the Red Bulls soccer team, and the Giants and Jets football teams. Although the Giants and Jets are New York teams, their stadiums are located in New Jersey. Several minor league baseball teams also use New Jersey as a home base, including the Somerset Patriots, Trenton Thunder, and Sussex County Miners. 

Locally, college, high school, and youth league games offer plenty of fun for the entire family. If you live in Frenchtown, you’ll want to attend a sporting event at Delaware Valley High School. In recent years, the Warriors have won championships in wrestling, girls’ soccer, swimming, boys’ soccer, and competitive cheer.

A Convenient Place to Live

Public transportation and an extensive system of highways make it easy to work in New York City, Philadelphia, and other towns in neighboring states. No matter where you live in New Jersey, you’re not far from I-95, I-287, the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike, Routes 202, 206, or 22, or another major highway. If you prefer to catch up on your reading or emails during rush hour, bus and train routes offer convenient commuting options.

Whether you’re traveling out of town on business or finally taking a long-awaited vacation, you won’t have to spend hours driving to a distant airport. Newark International Airport, Trenton-Mercer Airport, and even JFK, LaGuardia, and Philadelphia International Airports are within an hour or two of many New Jersey homes.

How Many Other States Have Both Mountains and Ocean Beaches?

“The Garden State” may seem like a strange nickname for the most densely populated state in the country, but despite its large population, New Jersey still offers plenty of open spaces. In the northern and central part of the state, old-stand forests cover the Kittatinny, Watchung, and Ramapo mountain ranges. The mountains are popular destinations year-round and offer skiing, hiking, bird watching, fishing, camping, and other activities.

During the summer, residents flock to the state’s beaches for a little swimming, surfing, or boating. State and local parks, like Sourland Mountain Preserve in Hillsborough and the Hunterdon County Arboretum in Lebanon, make it easy for residents to enjoy nature without traveling far. 

You Won’t Have to Pump Your Own Gas

On cold, raw, rainy days, there’s nothing better than remaining in your car while the gas station attendant fills your tank. It might not be big perk, but New Jersey’s ban on self-service pumps can make life just a little bit easier. Oregon, the only other state to legislate full-service pumps, may soon allow some self-service pumps. Although there’s occasionally some rumbling about lifting the ban in New Jersey, it remains in place for the foreseeable future.

You’ll Get to Experience All Four Seasons

Do you enjoy the gradual cool down when summer slides into fall or do you prefer the excitement that surrounds the first snowfall of the year? No matter which season is your favorite, you’ll enjoy four distinct seasons when you live in New Jersey. There’s always plenty to do outdoors. Surf or swim at the beach in the summer, enter a 10K or enjoy the colorful foliage in the fall, ski or snow tube in the winter, and bike or hike in the spring. 

The State Offers a Reciprocal Tax Agreement with PA

Do you commute to Pennsylvania every day? Thanks to New Jersey’s reciprocal tax agreement with Pennsylvania, you’ll pay taxes in the state where you live, rather than where you work. That agreement helps you avoid headaches at tax time.

Your Children Will Receive an Excellent Education

New Jersey schools are consistently ranked among the top in the nation, thanks to a focus on academics and student success. Niche.com gives several central New Jersey school districts high marks in its New Jersey ranking, including Frenchtown Public Schools (B+), Delaware Valley High School (A-), Franklin Township (B) and Bridgewater-Raritan (A+). 

The state also offers a variety of options if you or your children want to further your education. Princeton University, The College of New Jersey and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey are all close to central New Jersey.

You Won’t Pay School Fees

Some other states require paying per-pupil registration fees before school starts every year. If you have several children, the fees can quickly drain your budget. Luckily, that’s not the case in New Jersey. You won’t have to worry about registration or book fees when your child is enrolled in a New Jersey public school.

World-Class Healthcare

Hopefully, you’ll never have to face a serious illness or injury, but if you do, there’s no better place to be than New Jersey. New Jersey hospitals and health systems offer top-notch care and cutting-edge treatments for injuries, illnesses, and chronic diseases.  

Plenty of Housing and Community Choices

Although New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states, it certainly doesn’t feel that way. In fact, the state is full of quaint little towns and charming suburban areas that offer a range of housing choices. 

Frenchtown, on the Delaware River, is the perfect place to put down roots if you prefer small-town living with all the conveniences that make life comfortable. The town offers a thriving business district with stores, restaurants, and galleries, all within walking distance of most homes. In fact, Frenchtown is the location of our two newest communities – Country Classics at Frenchtown (single-family attached homes) and Harrison Square  (one- to three-bedroom rental apartments).

Community Pride

No matter where you live in the state, you’ll find that residents are invested in and proud of their towns and communities. If you happened to ask a New Jerseyan what they like most about their community, most would be hard-pressed to list just one thing. Friendly neighbors, well-maintained homes and businesses, and a thriving economy make New Jersey the ideal place to live and work.

Throughout the year, communities offer a variety of events for local residents and visitors. In Frenchtown, residents look forward to Riverfest, Bastille Day, the Zombie Crawl, an annual Independence Day celebration, and winter holiday events. 

No Sales Tax on Groceries

Unlike some states, New Jersey doesn’t add a tax to most foods you purchase at the grocery store. (Prepared foods, soda, cigarettes, and candy are exceptions.) You can stock up on eggs, milk, bread, meat, vegetables, fruit and disposable paper towels, and prescription and over-the-counter medications tax-free.

Are you ready to pack your belongings and head to New Jersey? We welcome new residents at Country Classics and will work hard to help you find the perfect house. Our Central New Jersey communities offer spacious new homes with all the amenities you desire. Contact us today to learn more about our current floor plans and availability.