What makes a place a "good" place to live? Is it the schools, safety, or housing options? Montgomery Township checks all those boxes. So if you’re researching the best places to live in Central Jersey, it's time to check Montgomery Township out.
The area has built a reputation for strong schools, preserved open space, and proximity to Princeton, all without feeling overdeveloped. To help you in your search, the Country Classics team has put together this guide to cover what Montgomery Township has to offer.
In this guide, we’ll explore Montgomery Township's safety, school rating, and other quality of life factors that people searching for homes in Central NJ care about.
Use these links to navigate to sections of interest:
Montgomery Township has intentionally shaped its identity around preservation and residential character. The township has designated over a third of its land as open space or farmland, with plans to preserve even more in the future.
Preservation isn’t just a statistic; it directly impacts the built environment.
It means:
The cost of living ranks among the most important factors people consider before moving somewhere.
In all honesty, Montgomery Township is not a budget market. According to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data (via Census Reporter), the median home value is just below $800,000.
That number reflects demand, especially from families prioritizing schools and the area's proximity to Princeton.
But instead of focusing only on the price tag, it also helps to ask: what are you paying for?
In Montgomery Township, you’re typically buying into:
Ultimately, the decision to buy or build a home there comes down to what you value in a place to live.
Any parent can tell you that moving with kids is tough. But moving to a place with good schools puts your mind at ease. So if schools are driving your move, Montgomery Township deserves a close look, and not just because of reputation.
The most reliable way to evaluate any NJ district is through the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) School Performance Reports. These reports provide standardized statewide data on academic achievement, student growth, graduation indicators, and school climate, using the same framework for every district in New Jersey.
When you review Montgomery Township’s reports, a few themes stand out:
Montgomery Township schools consistently perform above state averages in core academic areas, particularly in English language arts and mathematics. That means students are not just meeting state benchmarks, they’re often exceeding them compared to statewide norms.
The reports also evaluate how much progress students make year over year. Montgomery Township demonstrates solid student growth percentiles, indicating that students are progressing at healthy rates and are doing well in their studies over time.
Beyond test scores, NJDOE reports include school climate indicators, such as attendance, participation, and learning environment measures. Montgomery Township schools show stable engagement patterns and positive learning conditions relative to state benchmarks.
For high school metrics, graduation indicators, and post-secondary readiness data remain strong, reinforcing the district’s long-standing academic reputation.
The key takeaway? Montgomery Township schools are not just well-regarded by word of mouth. Their performance is supported by consistent state-level reporting.
That’s one of the main reasons housing demand remains steady here. Families often choose to move to Montgomery Township specifically for access to its public schools, and NJDOE data helps explain why.
Montgomery Township is not built around nightlife or a bustling downtown strip. It’s built around neighborhoods.
Daily life here tends to revolve around:
Because so much land has been preserved, it feels open compared to more densely developed towns in Central Jersey.
You’re close enough to Princeton to enjoy its restaurants, arts, and university energy, but far enough away to come home to quiet.
Safety is one of the first things most people check when considering a new place to live, and Montgomery Township generally earns very positive marks in this area.
Montgomery Township is considered relatively low in reported crime across key categories.
Here’s what that looks like in everyday terms:
Here's a breakdown of the commute and public transportation options from Montgomery Township to these metros.
Princeton is practically your neighbor. If you’re headed there for work, dinner, errands, or events at the university, it’s a short trip away. By car, the drive is typically about 10–15 minutes from most parts of Montgomery Township. That makes spontaneous plans, like grabbing coffee on Nassau Street or catching a show at McCarter Theatre, feel totally doable on a weekday or weekend. You also have bus connections via NJ Transit and local services that help link downtown Princeton to nearby train stations and paths (including the Princeton “Dinky” to Princeton Junction) for regional trips.
New York City is farther out, but still accessible, especially if you don’t need a daily commute into Manhattan.
Here’s how locals typically make that trip:
As you can see, there are plenty of convenient transportation options in Montgomery Township, and it is one of several benefits of living in the NJ area. Many residents use a mix of car and train travel. But the most important takeaway is that you have options.
One of the defining features of Montgomery Township is that it feels residential in a real, rooted way. You won’t find clusters of high-rise condos or dense mixed-use blocks here. Instead, housing is primarily suburban, spacious, and designed for long-term living.
Detached homes make up the majority of housing in Montgomery Township.
This emphasis on space is part of what gives Montgomery Township its calm, low-density feel.
While less common than single-family homes, townhomes and condos do exist in healthy numbers.
These homes typically offer:
They’re often a good fit for first-time buyers, downsizers, or those who want suburban living without a large yard to manage.
You’ll find both long-established subdivisions and newer communities throughout Montgomery Township.
Established areas offer larger lots and mature landscaping, while newer homes often feature updated interiors and modern layouts. Both tend to maintain the township’s consistent residential character.
As we mentioned in the cost of living section, Montgomery Township falls into a higher price tier within Central Jersey. U.S. Census data (via Census Reporter) reflects median home values that are above those of some surrounding towns.
But that pricing aligns with:
Montgomery Township's housing isn’t about density; it’s about space, structure, and neighborhood identity. If you’re looking for a home where you can grow into the community, Montgomery Township offers exactly that kind of environment.
Montgomery Township works best for people who know what they want.
If you’re looking for tree-lined roads instead of traffic corridors…
If school performance matters enough that you’re reviewing NJDOE reports…
If being 10–15 minutes from Princeton feels like the sweet spot…
If you want space between homes, not buildings stacked on top of each other…
That’s where Montgomery Township stands out. It’s not trying to compete with downtown Princeton. It’s not trying to be Somerville. It’s not built around nightlife or density. It’s built around neighborhoods, schools, and long-term living. And that’s why so many people move there and stay.
But we encourage you to get out there and visit. Get a feel for the place. But if it feels like a place you want to call home, the Country Classics team would love to help you settle in.
If Montgomery Township is on your radar, this is the right time to start exploring your options. Country Classics builds homes that reflect how people actually live today, with open layouts, functional spaces, quality craftsmanship, and neighborhoods designed with long-term comfort in mind.
When the location already makes sense, the right home makes the decision even easier. We look forward to making you feel right at home in one of our award-winning communities.
To see the kind of homes we build, check out our Gallery.
Connect with our team today and take the first steps in your move.