Moving to NJ for a job in Raritan

Submitted by tsukinoxhana t3_z14kad in newjersey

I just got a job offer from JNJ in Raritan (the one next to Somerville) and I’m going to have to relocate early 2023. I’m from the SF Bay Area so I’m used to a more urban atmosphere, which is why I’m a bit worried about moving to NJ. Are there any areas near Raritan (30min drive is probably ideal, and I’ll only be in office 3 times a week) that have more of that urban feel / that are suitable for young professionals? Would also really love to be as close to NYC as possible.

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Ravenknight222 t1_ix92n5e wrote

Somerville downtown is like that already it’s the nyc commuter hot spot. So I’d say your safe there. Also the whole area is under development so you’re one of many new people to join the area. I would say live close to jnj. Somerville downtown has a new lux apartment complex that’s next to train station to nyc, bars restaurants and lots of young people. You’ll also be happy to know we’re about a 40 min from nyc driving

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix967td wrote

Oh that’s really good to know thank you!

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TheMasterCharles t1_ix9xqnr wrote

I'd reccomend not living in the somerville lux apartments if you can help it. They are a total rip off & you can get more bang for your buck by just renting a house 5 minutes away.

Somerville is not gonna be comparable to the SF Bay area either. Morristown is gonna be more familiar. Good luck in your move! If you need any food reccomendations once you're here hmu!

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Njsybarite t1_ixaev4n wrote

Or New Brunswick if Morristown feels too small. I love Morristown (lived there for years and still own place there)

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ecovironfuturist t1_ixakq9u wrote

The traffic on Route 287 between New Brunswick and Somerville/Raritan is obscene.

Check out Somerville. It's not SF (what is?) but it's got some charm, decent food, commuter service to NYC, and a street closed to vehicle traffic with a Yestercades (hourly classic arcade).

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Njsybarite t1_ixanizc wrote

Yeah I used to commute from Branchburg to Piscataway and it could get bad. That was 20 years ago though, not sure if traffic had gotten better…

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bm1992 t1_ixaz9dq wrote

I commute from Somerville to Piscataway and can confirm: no it has not.

It’s honestly not the worst thing in the world - 30-40 minutes is my typical commute, but it’s annoying because I know it can be done in less than 20 without traffic. Knowing the backroads helps, but there are still bottlenecks that affect everyone.

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fpfx t1_ixb53bx wrote

Most apartment style places in Somerville proper start around 2k/month not including parking. Parking is a premium in town.

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amino_asshat t1_ixcqcjq wrote

Live in Somerville. Nice little town with some great restaurants.

Major downside nobody is mentioning is a lack of actual nightlife. After 10 pm the only places that might have any energy are a pizza place or the upstairs “club” of an Irish bar.

The town just… falls asleep after dinner is finished.

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ferocious_coug t1_ixd6r60 wrote

Or Verve or McCormicks

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amino_asshat t1_ixd9ec1 wrote

Yah agreed on the venues but 9/10 times even these spots are dead later on. Upstairs Verve can be a lot of fun - just wish it was a more regular occurrence.

I’m way past my night owl partying days (er… nights?), but somewhere to grab a drink or two after dinner and turn up, just a little, would be appreciated.

Somewhere, to be specific, that isn’t the back corner bar of a pizza place lol.

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ferocious_coug t1_ixda0q2 wrote

You’re preaching to the choir bud. This is one of my biggest pet peeves about Somerville. I find myself at McCormick’s more often than I want to.

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amino_asshat t1_ixdak0c wrote

I’m hopeful the younger crowd that will ostensibly be filling the new luxe apartments will give this town the late night kick in the shins it needs.

Until then it’s dive bars with Disney music for us.

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ferocious_coug t1_ixdhept wrote

Wait a minute. Do we know each other?

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amino_asshat t1_ixdk76k wrote

Doubtful. I just stalked your post history and would never associate with someone who thinks Kettlemens has the best bagels around.

/s

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ferocious_coug t1_ixdmp11 wrote

It’s just funny because my buddy likes to play Disney themes on the McCormick’s jukebox to piss everyone off

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Jean_Luc-Discard t1_ix9k90l wrote

Moved into said apartment complex recently. No complaints so far! The downtown scene is great, especially coming from a place with very low walkability.

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J3NND3NT t1_ixatcna wrote

Moved out of said apartment complex last year after living there for 3 years and we miss Somerville every dang day. Would LOVE to one day move back to Somerville. We moved there from Montclair and Montclair felt more urban and had an even bigger downtown but we never missed it living it Somerville.

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metsmetsmetsmets t1_ix9avub wrote

I used to work at J&J in Raritan. Morristown and Madison are about 20-25 minutes away. You will drive against traffic on 287 so it's a fast commute. Look especially at Morristown. I think you'll like that a lot.

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BackInNJAgain t1_ixcl5lb wrote

Morristown definitely has some interesting places. Madison is more suburban, but has a nice downtown and a fantastic park (Loantaka) if you're looking for recreation. Almost all of northeast NJ is suburban with either "real" downtowns with train stations and a walkable core, or sprawling shopping plazas similar to what you'd find in the Bay Area in Daly City or Pleasanton.

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snarkuzoid t1_ix90znf wrote

You'll be about an hour from Manhattan, 1/2 hour from Morristown. Morristown has a vibrant bar and restaurant scene. Somerville is pretty nice in that regard as well. Neither would be mistaken for a large urban scene, though.

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix9700l wrote

I honestly don’t mind something more suburb-y, I just wanna make sure I’ll have things to do outside of work 😭 thanks for the input!!

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shoozy t1_ix9e5lg wrote

Harriman state park is less than an hour away. Catskills are probably an hour and half. If you ski or snowboard, Vermont is 4 hours lol

If I may ask (since you came from Bay area) did you come from GNE or AZ?

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sandybuttcheekss t1_ix9eha8 wrote

Norvin Greene too, smaller park but still very nice, plus a bit closer to where OP is moving if you don't want to make the trip to NY.

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Ok-Way8392 t1_ixa2650 wrote

Bring your long John’s. It’s getting cold around here 🥶

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GatorRich t1_ix9ilml wrote

NYC by driving or by train will always be an option living in New Jersey.. Easy trip.. I suspect you'll have all you need in The Big Apple..

I hope you move goes well..

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Glengal t1_ixab9wr wrote

Morristown is more lively than Somerville. The train line to NYC is a bit better than the Raritan Valley line. New Brunswick is pretty lively as well.

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snarkuzoid t1_ix9en0d wrote

Great live music in Morristown at The Laundromat and Homestead. There are others, too, but that's where I frequent.

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jailguard81 t1_ixaitwf wrote

Don’t worry, jersey has plenty of stuff to do, places to go

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ecovironfuturist t1_ixal06y wrote

It you have decent personal mobility you could do ok in Somerville without a car on most days. It's still Jersey, you'll want to go somewhere car dependent at some point, but you won't NEED it every day.

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dabigwillystyle t1_ix8yug7 wrote

New Brunswick has a direct train to NYC and livelier than Somerville or Raritan. Other option would be Morristown but thats not as urban. Both have plenty of young professionals.

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technotime t1_ix928ee wrote

It should be noted that New Brunswick is a college city with a large state school (Rutgers) in it. Not sure if that's OPs vibe or not.

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Melyy07 t1_ixa2ftb wrote

Yes but I’d say George Street in NB has a more “adult feel” to it!

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FrugganHerd t1_ix9aezj wrote

Metuchen is small and suburban but really cute downtown, direct train line to NYC, great public schools and lots of things to do. Worth checking out but similar vibe to Somerville while much smaller.

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pu1pfriction t1_ixcyhqv wrote

287 from Metuchen to Somerville stretch is pretty terrible during rush hour though

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Tfran8 t1_ix99o9j wrote

I used to work at JnJ in Somerville, I live pretty close to the office still. As others have said Somerville is nice - but its small. Not sure it’s exactly what you are looking for, but you’d have to move pretty far away from work (NYC, Jersey city, Hoboken, etc) to find what you are looking for - and I don’t think the commute is worth it.

If I were you I would live near work and just go into the city, river towns, etc on weekends - that’s what I did for awhile when I first moved here.

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Amannin19 t1_ixba1lm wrote

I’d recommend the opposite, especially since they only need to be in the office 3 days a week. It will be a lot easier to meet people and become part of the “community” if you live there. Plus you want to be able to just walk outside and be in it. Having to drive 45 minutes means they’ll go way less and quickly feel secluded.

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ryanay666 t1_ix9bthe wrote

I live very close to that area, and having lived all throughout NJ, I would say Somerville is a great place to be. There’s lots to do in central NJ, and you’re also very close to NYC / Philly, jersey shore and hiking spots aren’t far also. After you move, feel free to reach out if you need a recommendation on something. I’m a chef and could help picking out places for a night out.

Central and I think NJ in general is so culturally diverse. There’s so much goodness just a hop, skip and jump away

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ansky201 t1_ix91fho wrote

You could live in Jersey City. Lots of young professionals and very close to NYC. The drive to Raritan is about 45-60 minutes depending on traffic. I used to do that commute years ago. If you want something a little closer, New Brunswick is a smaller city and home to Rutgers University so it has a college feel to it.

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix960oj wrote

Did you feel like the commute was worth it?

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Ravenknight222 t1_ix96ri4 wrote

Okay I’m gonna have to say don’t listen to this. Leaving jnj at that time is brutal to head to Jersey city at peak hours is hour and a half plus. It’s part of my commute believe me . Plus then getting all the way to Jersey city around peak hours is even worse when their is an accident on 78 which you’ll be forced to use… just saying. sincerely A LOCAL Im like 5 min from jnj and I’ve worked all over

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DerSturmbannfuror t1_ix9fhr9 wrote

I’d recommend coming out for the weekend, renting a car and touring the areas mentioned. If you’re strictly looking for an urban area filled with young professionals, the only place to find them in a sizable # would be in the Jersey city, Hoboken area. It’s similar to Portland or Atlanta, major difference being both JC & Hoboken play 2nd fiddle to the biggest, most vibrant city in the nation directly across the River. Driving to JC or Manhattan from the suburbs is NOT recommended if you’re out to have fun (traffic can be worse in the evening than for the morning commute) That’s what the trains and Uber are for. There are myriad hangout spots that cater to post graduates throughout north Jersey and you’ll be able to find your peers in any of the places mentioned, the downside being that these places aren’t concentrated in any one area outside of JC and Hoboken, so living in the Somerville, New Brunswick, Morristown environs would cause you to make more of a an effort meeting fellow peers

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LarryLeadFootsHead t1_ix9zzwc wrote

> the Jersey city, Hoboken area

> It’s similar to Portland or Atlanta

Uhhhhhh?

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DerSturmbannfuror t1_ixa43to wrote

I don't speak cave--man, but if you're asking whether or not your kind frequent the areas mentioned, I'd answer no, not to my knowledge.

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LarryLeadFootsHead t1_ixhj26n wrote

I just am fascinated in what world you live in where Jersey City or Hoboken is somehow anything like Atlanta or Portland.

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BackInNJAgain t1_ixclkex wrote

I'm a bit odd in that I love urban bicycling so, in summer, I often drive to New York City from the Morristown area on Sunday mornings around 6:30-7:00 and can make it in about 40 minutes. The West Side bike highway, riding to Prospect Park over the Brooklyn Bridge, riding to Central Park, etc. are all really fun and not super crowded at that time of day. Just have to get out of the city by noon-ish so you CAN drive to NYC just have to go on the off hours

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DerSturmbannfuror t1_ixfo6jl wrote

Fwiw Jersey City has added protected bike lanes especially in the Newport, downtown area out to liberty state park and hoboken. Could be an interesting ride 4u

JC bike lanes

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BackInNJAgain t1_ixh706f wrote

Thanks! I will definitely check this out. Looked at it on Google maps and it seems exactly like the type of urban ride I enjoy.

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plattypus412 t1_ix9ccdc wrote

I did almost this exact commute for 6 months pre-pandemic (Harrison to Somerville, Harrison is one town west of Jersey City) and the commute was a huge factor into why I decided to get a job in NYC instead. The drive in the morning was busy but never THAT bad, but the afternoon drive was jam packed with traffic and absolutely infuriating to deal with. What should’ve been a 35-40 min drive without traffic was easily an hour to an hour and a half home every evening. I’m not sure how the commute is now post-pandemic, but generally traffic throughout the state feels like it’s gotten worse since pre-pandemic times, so I can’t imagine it’s gotten any better.

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ansky201 t1_ix9d9xd wrote

At the time I was a lot younger so it didn't seem that bad. I wouldn't do it again, at least not 5 days a week. You mentioned that you only have to commute to the office 3 days per week, so I would say give it a try for a year and move closer if you don't like it. Traffic is always the worst on Friday afternoons, so make sure Friday is one of your "home" days.

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tomakeyan t1_ix9nd6s wrote

I used to commute from Somerville to Newark for work/school. It fucking sucked. A 40 minute drive would sometimes take over an hour and a half.

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SquirrelEnthusiast t1_ix8yhe9 wrote

Just move to NYC and commute to Raritan! Problem solved.

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix98grn wrote

Man i wish

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angusshangus t1_ix9kgux wrote

It’s would be a pretty decent commute but check out Montclair. It’s pretty much the first stop for young professionals after leaving Brooklyn. Liberal political vibe. Night clubs, bars, terrific restaurants and cafes. Live music venue that gets medium sized acts. They have a well regarded film festival. Diverse community both racially and wealth. Midtown direct train to Penn station with like 4 or 5 stops in or near by down town. Again, not particularly close but if you are only going in to work 3x a week the commute might be worth it. Very cool town!

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J3NND3NT t1_ixau65l wrote

We left Montclair for Somerville because for the same monthly rental fee we could get a much bigger, better, safer, apartment vs. what we had in Montclair. We loved living in Montclair while my husband commuted to NYC but honestly if you’re not commuting to the city or nearby, you can get so much more for your money elsewhere.

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mcscrotumballs t1_ix9j5r1 wrote

I did this when I moved to the northeast (but commuted to upstate CT) and it was definitely worth the hassle. Some of my best friends and experiences were born from that decision

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stackered t1_ix9y59t wrote

you could live in hoboken or jersey city and commute. it'd be over an hour each way tho. New brunswick or morristown are good choices, Montclair too

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developerEnabled t1_ix9c7lv wrote

Somerville is definitely one of the better downtowns in Nj and there’s a lot of them

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onelten t1_ixa65uc wrote

where are from in the bay area? nj isn’t as rural/isolated as you think. like the bay area, it has densely populated urban areas, but also has it’s own urban areas as well as suburban and rural areas.

the jnj campus seems isolated, but it’s not. the current rental market may not give you the option, but i’d recommend a short lease or month to month and feel out the areas.

all the areas mentioned have pros and cons and the commute can be nightmare depending on where you’re going.

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thelaunchmanager t1_ix98ymp wrote

NJ is the densest state in the country you will be fine city slicker

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MattyIce1220 t1_ix9gllt wrote

Princeton is about a half hour from Raritan. Very cool place to walk, especially in the fall and spring.

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ktweiss t1_ixb4x2k wrote

Crappy commute though, like 40 minutes. Nice to visit but I think you’re better off living in Somerville with that short commute but still some fun things going on!

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New_Stats t1_ix910dp wrote

Are there any areas near Raritan (30min drive is probably ideal, and I’ll only be in office 3 times a week) that have more of that urban feel

what the fucking Bison farm isn't urban enough for you? I guess all the horse farms "smell like shit" and "are just for the uber rich to show off their wealth" too, huh?

​

(I'm kidding that's exactly how things are here)

​

Almost everything closes by 9, almost nothing is open on Sundays here.

​

Somerville has more going on and is right down the road, but I wouldn't call it urban. It does have a train station that goes to NYC tho. It's been a while since I've taken the train from NYC to NJ, but last I checked, the last train on the NorthEast Corridor line leaves around midnight and the next train is at 5am. Also I've never taken the Raritan valley line to NYC, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't run on the weekends (double check that, I might be wrong)

Lambertville is close and has a decent nightlife (if you count New Hope, the town right across the river in PA, as part of the nightlife, which we do) but it still isn't urban. It's also farther away from the city than Somerville

look at NJ transit and then look at which towns the train to NYC stops. Then ask about ones that interest you, you'll get much better feedback. Include your budget or it'll be useless to try to help you

https://content.njtransit.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/maps/NJTRailSystemMap-Aug2022.pdf

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guythatbedont t1_ix9me1h wrote

Raritan Valley line does require you to transfer in Newark Penn most of the time which usually is not a big deal. u/New_Stats is correct that the last trains back to Newark from NYC typically are around midnight or 1. You could potentially take the PATH train back to Hoboken/Jersey City for an Uber/taxi that doesn't have the NYC price tag on it if you're out of options.

Also funny enough I'm familiar with New Hope (Lambertville not so much) too, they are cool towns with great restaurants but it's not the kind of nightlife where you'll be out at a bar with loud music and a DJ until 2am, at least what I've seen. Not sure what your desired 'nightlife' situation is.

I don't live there but have visited frequently over the past few years.

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New_Stats t1_ix9w8lx wrote

>Also funny enough I'm familiar with New Hope (Lambertville not so much) too, they are cool towns with great restaurants but it's not the kind of nightlife where you'll be out at a bar with loud music and a DJ until 2am, at least what I've seen. Not sure what your desired 'nightlife' situation is.

I've definitely been out bat hoping in New Hope until 2am, but this was years ago during the summer. I haven't been out that way since COVID so there's a strong possibility that could've changed.

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guythatbedont t1_ixa0leg wrote

It's also very possible I'm just unaware of those spots, the intent of my visits was never to go out drinking. I'll have to go and see for myself next time I'm there!

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New_Stats t1_ixa357t wrote

I highly recommend going when it's warm out. There's a ton of outdoor bar patios within walking distance of each other, it's really nice on a warm, but not hot, night.

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix9748k wrote

Thank you!! Will definitely take a look the NJ transit

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davep18 t1_ix8yjjk wrote

Which Raritan? Somerset County, Hunterdon County? There are at least 2 Raritan's in NJ. edit, nevermind, I see you mentioned JnJ.

The area around Raritan is very suburban. You'd be doing an opposite commute of many but I guess for a more urban feel you'd want to head out toward Jersey City or Hoboken. That is more like 45 - 50 minutes away though.

Morristown might be worth looking at. That is 30 minutes away. Somerville is not very urban but it does have an excellent walkable downtown area. It borders on Raritan.

Or just embrace the next county over (Hunterdon) and go full on farmer.

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eviljim113ftw t1_ix9wrwy wrote

I work there right now. You better not be my new team mate.

Downtown Somerville is a nice small town. New Brunswick(within 30 minutes) is a college town and has the JNJ HQ.

Unfortunately, nothing will come close to living in a real urban area. I do have some co-workers who live in downtown Jersey City. That’s right in front of NYC. They come in once a month.

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theirishcannoli t1_ix9azmc wrote

Go to Delucias top 5 pizza place of all time. As I'm from Bergen county, I can't give you any other advice besides that lol. Madison NJ is a nice town nearby

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nfigz92 t1_ix9gpc5 wrote

There are a lot of places in NJ. Morristown, Princeton, Jersey City & Hoboken. My friend moved here from the Bay & she’s been having a blast

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OhMyOnDisSide t1_ix9q98o wrote

I used to work in Raritan at one of the big biopharma companies on US-202. I lived in Bound Brook for the first year I worked there which was about a 20 min drive, but just like you eventually needed to move closer to NYC since my gf eventually needed to go back to her office there. Bound Brook/Middlesex area is nice but definitely very suburban and more often than not you're just gonna end up driving somewhere else to do things, and NJ transit is a bit more inconvenient there.

Ended up moving to Rahway after that which may be great for you. Had one of those new modern buildings, a nice downtown area, and NJ transit is about 40 minutes to Penn Station. Drive to Raritan was anywhere between 30 and 40 minutes depending on 287 traffic, and I was going in 5 days a week (Late 2021-2022). I moved to Jersey City a few months ago from Rahway and Rahway has great value for your money in terms of rent.

We also looked into South Orange along with Rahway which was about a 30 min drive to Raritan and a 35 min train into NYC, but it was a bit pricier at that time. Also a great place to consider.

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imathrowayslc t1_ix9rj87 wrote

Come see me at Starbucks in Somerville when you get here! Its a great little town, came here from Utah in 2019.

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ifartedtoday t1_ixaibyh wrote

Metuchen and Somerville have great downtowns and options for trains. New Brunswick is also decently close to raritan and has good restaurants and bars but it’s a college town with decent amount of crime. Some of the areas around Raritan flood so before you find a place, regardless of town check for flood information.

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acoreilly87 t1_ix98qxt wrote

Raritan itself is not bad. Small downtown with some places to eat, etc., but it’s also all the places everyone has mentioned, and has good access to highways. Low taxes for NJ, and there’s a train station as well.

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largos7289 t1_ix9cu96 wrote

New Brunswick, probably your best bet. It has everything your looking for, nightlife, college town, drunks... hobos, occasional shooting. It's like the little city that could LOL. The one thing i do have to say good about NJ is, if your bored here, your doing something wrong.

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blindbhaddie19 t1_ix9cxbq wrote

I’m in Somerset County. I’d suggest Somerville Bridgewater, Bedminster, or Basking Ridge. All nice places to be.

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Medical_Penalty_7305 t1_ix9gtzi wrote

New Brunswick is a college town and Rutgers is located there. East access to trains that will take you to NYC or Philadelphia. Easy access to all major highways too. Also less than 30 minutes from Newark airport

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wordsw0rdswords t1_ix9kvao wrote

No doubt about it, you've got an adjustment ahead of you. I lived in Jersey City a few years ago and would commute to Somerville about once a week via train. Took about 1.5 hours and was annoying, but on the train you're not driving and can work/read/relax. For an Urban atmosphere this is your best bet if you want to stay in Jersey, but via train you can still live in NYC and commute if you wanted to. Somerville is nice but very small. Other places like New Brunswick will give you urban lite.

Either accept a longer commute from JC/Hoboken/NYC or change your mindset. What you'll lose in Urban life you can gain elsewhere. Jersey has a lot, mountains, beaches, and close to NYC.

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prognathia t1_ix9r0nk wrote

Morristown or Princeton. New Brunswick is more of an undergrad vibe

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soneg t1_ixaau9y wrote

You can do Somerville for sure, but it is still somewhat residential. Morristown is really nice, and right off rt 287 so it's an easy commute. If you don't mind being a little further off, then Jersey City - Newport area, or Hoboken are nice too. If you're coming to work for J&J, welcome to the family. I'm guessing you're either part of the IT side or the MT side.

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WaltzThinking t1_ixafs2t wrote

The honest answer is no, not really. J&J is not accessible by transit, so you'll have to be driving, which sucks. I'd say Newark or Jersey City are the only truly urban centers in NJ. Both have easy access to NYC which is great, but I personally would not want to deal with the traffic from either of them to Raritan even 3x per week. If you enjoy living in SF... be prepared for disappointment. The people on here saying Morristown are not credible. It's not urban.

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Mrguy4771 t1_ixaolin wrote

Keep in mind, the area you're looking in is like an hour drive to get to NYC, an hour to the beach/shore towns and hour and 1/2 to Philly. 2 hours to Atlantic City. Just to give you an idea of driving distance around the state.

You pretty much have an unlimited amount of entertainment option within an hour or two. It's amazing if you like concerts you have your choice of a few different cities when bands come around.

You could look at New Brunswick or Morristown for more of a city feel I guess but nothing will feel like a real city until you get to Jersey City/Hoboken area, or eventually into NYC.

Edit: if you can get somewhere walkable to a train station you can usually get into the city in a very easy 30-45 mins. Trains run pretty often and are reliable for the most part. The only thing that sucks is the last train out of NYC coming home is at 1:50am. So if you're trying to have a late night you have to work around that.

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spottedrabbitz t1_ixchzsm wrote

Spent a few nights in ny penn station wating for that 1st early morning train 🤣😴😴😴

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BobbyBolo5150 t1_ixbfie7 wrote

Morristown. I interned at JnJ back in 2015. Also worked in jersey the past couple years and lived there as well. Raritan/whitehouse Station is pretty suburban and rural. Also lived in Morristown and it’s a pretty lively town

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WhichSpirit t1_ixciyl3 wrote

Downtown Somerville and Morristown.

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[deleted] t1_ix985x9 wrote

[deleted]

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tsukinoxhana OP t1_ix98f2s wrote

Omg what’s wrong with New Brunswick 😭

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solidblu t1_ix99gvx wrote

It gets a lot of hate because of the college kids, half the downtown they avoid though. There is also a not great part of town there which is between one of the college parts and the more professional hang out down town.

I live across the river in highland park and go to New Brunswick all the time. It is fine, it has bars and restaurants, an escape room, a smash shot place, but you will need a car 1000%.

You aren’t going to get everything in a downtown ticket in NJ, make sure you look at a wider area around where you are thinking of living. It has to be more than just a down town. Good luck! And when you get here make sure to check out other areas!

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stackered t1_ix9yjiu wrote

its a college town but its always being built up. has a slight hood area, kind of shitty food compared to the rest of NJ which doesn't really make sense but it kind of does because again its a college town. NJ has incredibly good food all around then its just meh there. there are tons of little towns with trains to NYC around the area too you could live. if you have to be in office every day, I'd just choose to live closer to your office and to take a train or drive to the city on weekends. you'll spend way more time in a car driving back and forth than on a train once a week

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Some-Imagination9782 t1_ix9c0g2 wrote

You should check out morristown, summit, Westfield area…great downtown areas and great school systems

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nessarocks28 t1_ix9esin wrote

I second Somerville as a good place to settle. If you don’t mind driving and exploring..tons of neat small towns to check out all over New Jersey and tons of great hiking spots too. Also go into NYC often with the train being right there. Good luck!

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serinob t1_ix9foco wrote

I’m sorry

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autopwroff t1_ix9kpin wrote

Yes there are things to do. The Raritan Valley Line (RVL train) goes straight to Newark Penn/New York Penn. Even if you don't want to go all the way to NYC, you can take that train to Newark Penn Station and then the Path train to Hoboken or Jersey City. You 1000% have options in NJ.

Edit: I feel like I should add that the RVL stops at Raritan and Somerville (among other towns, such as the one that I live in). All things considered, it's pretty efficient and runs on the weekends.

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ceerealmilk t1_ix9njqf wrote

Hello! Welcome to nj and welcome to JNJ. I work for jnj and I also happen to live in raritan. Somerville is a nice area and has plenty to do during the day. But it’s not an urban feel, only Main Street downtown is. New Brunswick is 15 minutes away and is an urban area. I see some people suggested Metutchen, that’s less of a city than New Brunswick but busier than Somerville. Same goes for Rahway. So a good option as well. Wherever you move, check the commute. Best advice I can give is: If you have to drive more than 15 minutes on 287, don’t do it. 287 is a nightmare during rush hour.

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weaselpoopcoffee1 t1_ix9olj9 wrote

Hoboken and Montclair are about an hour away. Not sure how far you are willing to drive.

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NJBullforyou t1_ix9r8lt wrote

Somerville is good, but yeah westfield would be the place to be and its within the drive range for u and you can also take the train there cause its close and on the same rail a few stops away from each other and u can also take the same train down to newark, hoboken, jersey city and nyc.

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trevnj t1_ix9snon wrote

you're probably going to miss good food unless you go to Manhattan. might be something in New Brunswick where Rutgers is. The D&R canal is a great place to bike or walk on.

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rararotten t1_ix9tdxx wrote

Do you drive? Is public transportation important? Raritan isn’t directly on the Northeast Corridor, but it is accessible. Edison area puts you kinda center of all highways and train to NYC and Philly. Also easy to get down the shore! Very diversified.

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alfonseexists t1_ix9wwm9 wrote

I grew up in raritan, it’s an okay town, but glad I don’t live there anymore. Nothing bad. Just not for me. Check out Morristown if you would like someplace that’s fun yet a very nice part of nj. If you want to be closer to an urban setting, look into Jersey city. It’s really a cool place to live.
The food in nj is every bit as good as a anywhere else. That is a fact. The food scene in JC is great

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Doomfox81 t1_ix9y770 wrote

montclair, hoboken, morristown.

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sloth514 t1_ix9yojh wrote

Welcome, you r in good hands. As the other comments said. Somerville has been gentrified ( being built up), Morristown is 20 min away for a lot of bars and restaurants. NYC is about an hour away. Somerville has a train line to transfer as well. I believe they are building a new line as well.

NYC has the nickname of 'Silicon Alley. There is a lot of pharmacy and tech in the NYC and central NJ area.

The biggest thing is being able to drive. There is a lot of great food in the area as well as vineyards and breweries. There is plenty to do in the area, from parks, hikes, sports, shows. Morristown's MPAC has a lot of great shows. Not just NYC. If you don't like any of that Poconos is about an hour away if you like chilling on a lake or gambling. The beach is about 1.5-2 hr drive away.

While you are here please try the bagels, pizza, local produce such as corn, tomatoes, blueberries and peaches.

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Buddhahumble t1_ix9zyd1 wrote

Try amazing taste in Somerville

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mrsctb t1_ixa1rtx wrote

Somerville has a nice downtown but it doesn’t have a city feel…to me at least. I don’t think you’ll love it. Morristown is likely more your speed. Summit isn’t bad either, but it’s definitely more suburban like. Westfield is nice, also suburban though (I live here, so I feel like I know it well). I’d check out Morristown before anything if I were you

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ThatBitch1984 t1_ixa95xf wrote

Maplewood/South Orange gets a ton of under 40 transplants both with and without kids from the Bay Area. We’ve had two on our street from SF/Oakland area in the last year and my street has less than 10 houses. Highly recommend. With it being a college town there’s lots of young people as well and easy transportation to the city.

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Few-Restaurant7922 t1_ixaalgg wrote

Definitely lots of what was suggested. Morristown has a nice scene at night. New Brunswick does get some good speakers from RU. Jersey City is a little further but that’s very city-like. There’s tons of restaurants and shopping there!

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SpinDoctor777 t1_ixab5xa wrote

That area is all just sleepy suburban towns. Very nice and quite, but not necessarily urban. I think your best option for something urban is New Brunswick. You'll have a city environment (with JNJ headquarters I should note) and large college population. This is close driving to Raritan and also ideally located on the North East Corridor train line to take direct to Manhattan. The ideal urban location for you is Hoboken and Jersey City but commuting from there to Raritan is soul crushing.

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MohnJaddenPowers t1_ixabdw8 wrote

Union is a nice dense suburb with a lot of great food and wonderful quality of life. It's on a direct train line to Raritan but I don't know if J&J is close enough to take a train there and walk. It would probably be just at the top of the 30 minute drive.

Millburn, Summit, or Springfield would get you closer and feel a bit more like a gentrified upper crust suburb, but definitely also a bit nicer than Union.

Union is also really easy to get to NYC from, if you want to hop a train or bus in.

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giantsnyy1 t1_ixae36c wrote

Look at Hillsborough or Belle Mead. The Pike Run Meadows apartments are quite nice… mini townhomes, and quite affordable. 20-30 minute drive to 202/Raritan.

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zilops t1_ixauiep wrote

Somerville for sure

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bm1992 t1_ixb060c wrote

I grew up in an urban area in NJ, then went to college in New Brunswick, then spent the next 5 or so years bouncing around the suburbs of NJ, HATING IT, until my partner and I bought a house in Somerville. It’s a very cute area with a fun downtown, but we also take the train to go to soccer and hockey games in North Jersey, or we’ll drive into Hoboken and Jersey City to visit friends.

Somerville is great because it has plenty to do around home but is central enough that when we want new experiences, they’re very easy to find.

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abbasiAhmad t1_ixb3ym4 wrote

It depends on your budget, and are you renting or buying? Hoboken, Jersey City Downtown or Jersey City Heights as well as Weehawken, Union City, Gutenberg and North Bergen are all urban towns/cities. The first two are your best bet. I have lived in the area for the past 45+ years. I am also a “semi retired” Realtor/Broker. Depending on the size, condition, location, and configuration of the unit/apartment/condo rent can vary from $1500/mo up to $6000+ in downtown JC or Hoboken. It can be a lot less expensive in the other towns I mentioned. All towns I mentioned above are within 30-45 minutes from Raritan. Best of luck.

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sirusfox t1_ixb6mey wrote

Aight, what part of the SF Bay Area you want your new place to feel like? NJ has some very urban areas and very rural areas, so you're going to find something to do no matter where you locate, its just a matter of how much driving you want to do to get there. If you're looking for something like SF, Jersey City - Hoboken Area is what you want. If you're looking for something more like the Peninsula/South Bay, anything east of 287 is going to feel about right. If for some reason you want that Oakland life, well there is Newark. If you want more of the far East Bay/North Bay, throw a dart at anything in that 30 mile radius that is east of 206 and north of 195, there are rural spots, but its never going to be more than a few miles drive of something urban.

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Amannin19 t1_ixb8is1 wrote

If you don’t mind a slightly longer commute, Hoboken or Jersey City are probably your best bet. They are full of young professionals, tons of bars, restaurants and things to do. Also, right across from NYC and can get in and out in 15 minutes with bus or train. Your commute to Raritan will easily be 45 minutes, most likely longer with traffic.

If you prefer a shorter commute (25 minutes), Morristown will be your best bet. Not as many bars and restaurants as Hoboken or JC but there are definitely a good amount and they get crowded on the weekends with a younger crowd. There is a train that will take you to NYC or Hoboken in ~1 hour. You’ll also pay a ton less in rent or if you plan to buy something than Hoboken or JC. Morristown is surrounded by state and National parks so if you enjoying hiking, biking, fishing etc. you’ll really like it there, whereas, Hoboken and JC are surrounded by other densely populated cities.

This is assuming you are single and don’t have kids. If you are married with kids, I’d change my recommendations.

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potbellyjoe t1_ixb95g5 wrote

I live in Raritan borough. Feel free to reach out with questions about the area.

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Specialist-Link-7557 t1_ixbjt30 wrote

I live in Flemington - familiar with the area . I work in flemington but I lived 15/20 mins south of it. Just depends where ya looking for

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obsessedsolutions t1_ixbnncp wrote

I’d suggest visiting. You’ll like Somerville. Definitely not a big city but lots of restaurants and bars. It’s also close.

You could try Morristown but it’s about 40 mins from RARITAN area.

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jadnich t1_ixbqyoo wrote

New Brunswick or Morristown are good bets. But really, there is a train line that ends in Raritan, and you would be going against commuter traffic. You could consider Jersey City (one quick ride on the PATH, then your Raritan train). Or maybe Harrison or (the nicer parts of) Newark. Maybe Union or Westfield.

But Somerville is a great town, and worth considering.

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Kingk00paa t1_ixbv17k wrote

Everyone advising you isn’t from any real urban area lol lookup Hoboken, jersey city, Kearny, Harrison this the real urban jersey pretty much all the towns in the north east

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bramwejo t1_ixc2qis wrote

New Brunswick is more city and it’s probably 30 minutes away. It’s a college town but there is a lot to do

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Ilovemytowm t1_ixckivh wrote

As someone who lived in the Metuchen area for over 20 years don't listen to anyone telling you that that's a good spot to live It's a tiny little dot surrounded by a pretty depressing place called Edison. Also you'll be going with traffic on 287 to get to Raritan and is someone who had to live that It is a freaking nightmare. If you're working in Raritan ... Somerville all the way. They're downtown revival is stunning filled with restaurants and beauty. Metuchen's downtown is incredibly tiny... Consisting of pizza places nail salons and a whole foods. Maybe a restaurant here and there.

Morristown is utterly beautiful as well along the lines of Summerville but Jesus Christ be prepared for sticker shock and that will be a hell of a long drive to Raritan in traffic unless you are basically only going to the office once or twice a week.

Edison is a suburban depressing hell hole that I would stay far away from.

Yes I lived there. I counted the days until I could get out

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kafmuir t1_ixcpl8x wrote

Perhaps join Raritan yacht. Sailing there was awesome for many years,but it’s mostly racing.

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ekesse t1_ixcx2ji wrote

Rent a house or apartment (month to month if possible) and have fun exploring places so that you can find where you want to settle. There are so many small/medium towns but you might like Hoboken/Jersey city if you want a young city vibe.

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AdventurousRip9602 t1_ixd4br9 wrote

Morristown, New Brunswick, Montclair, red bank…

Hate to say it, nothing nice around Raritan… I commute 1 hour when I have to go there.

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ferocious_coug t1_ixd6kq5 wrote

  1. Post this to /r/somervillenj
  2. Morristown or Somerville could work.
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Raptorman5174 t1_ixdemrf wrote

New Brunswick is close and may have what your looking for

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AnNJgal t1_ixdsm61 wrote

Madison is great. Cool vibe. Morristown is a bit stuffy, but great restaurants.

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jaelae t1_ixeu9nq wrote

Agree with others. Lots of choices for different lifestyles really and some great choices to be within a fast commute to NYC. I currently work at this location in Raritan now with the 3 days in office per week. Some areas are better than others to commute from but I would decide if you’d like to be able to easily take a train into the city or drive.

I’m personally closer to the city now than to the office. But I don’t mind the 45 min drive into the office.

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Lazuli9 t1_ixkovuk wrote

New Brunswick is a decent sized city with lots of nice parks and is close. Lots of students from Rutgers being located here but I haven't encountered as many young professionals though that's because I live by the university. I wouldn't necessarily live here if I worked in Somerville (Google Maps says it's typically 20-35 mins leaving at 8 AM), but it's much closer than NYC and has a lot of bars, music culture, interest clubs etc. so is worth checking out once you move here. Welcome

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Sloppy-Zen t1_iy209fe wrote

I'd say Somerville or New Brunswick for suburban NJ towns that are closer to Raritan.

That said from those suburban towns, you're not going to have fantastic nightlife compared to what you experimced in SF. The larger cities closer to Manhattan may be better if that's the deciding factor.

Hoboken has a good nightlife, but wouldn't say it's going to be a 30 min commute to Raritan, it's brutal with traffic. ... Same with Jersey City. But the commute to NYC would be good. Also Jersey City would have a good commute to NYC... for both JC and Hoboken take the PATH to Manhattan. JC has an ok nightlife around Grove Street, but Hoboken is just going to have it beat IMHO.

You csn get to Manhattan from Somerville & New Brunswick. Somerville is on the Raritan Valley Line which can get you to Manhattan direct on a few trains, but most of the time you'll need to switch in Newark and take the PATH. (So that is a pain, but if you're a wierdo like me I like to people watch on the PATH.)

New Brunswick will get you into NY Penn direct on the Northeast Corridor.

Maybe Princeton is an option, but I'm not sure how to get to NYC from there.

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munchlaxsleeps t1_ix9akf3 wrote

I lived in both Somerville and New Brunswick, so I'm very familiar with the area! Raritan isn't that nice tbh. The area surrounding it is all very suburban. But Somerville down town, has some good bar spots and nice restaurants. Some things to do, but not a whole lot compared to SF. There are a lot of new apartments that are nice, and many more comping up on Main Street Somerville though. New Brunswick has some great food spots, but it's very much a college town. If you're wandering the downtown area, its mostly college students. Certain areas can be nice but if you live there, you'd hit the worse traffic during rush hour going to and from work on rt 287. However, both somerville and New Brunswick has very easy ways to access NYC which ofc has everything you could want to do. I would recommend living in Somerville downtown if you'd like a shorter commute to work. Morristown is also a great spot to live and the commute won't be two bad. If you have other questions, feel free to ask here or message me!

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GMEBB t1_ix9l69s wrote

Move to Hoboken. Your commute will be longer but will be well worth it. You’ll be outside NYC and night life in Hoboken is awesome.

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TraciVicaro t1_ix9oyd3 wrote

I live in Raritan and it’s great. Somerville is great for more of a “downtown” trendier type of vibe and it’s a 15 minute walk from my house.

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