Moving to Monmouth County but Still Working in NYC? Here’s What You Should Know

If you’ve found yourself scrolling through Monmouth County listings while simultaneously pulling up Google Maps and NJ Transit schedules, welcome. You are in very good company.

I work with plenty of buyers who love the idea of trading city life, or even North Jersey life, for a little more breathing room in Monmouth County. They want a yard, more space, great communities, access to the beach, restaurants they actually want to go to, and maybe a driveway where they never have to circle the block looking for parking again. The catch? Their job is still in New York City.

So, naturally, one of the first questions I hear is: Can I realistically live in Monmouth County and commute to NYC?

Yes, absolutely. People do it every day. But where you live in Monmouth County can make a huge difference in what that commute looks like, and the answer is not as simple as choosing whichever town appears closest to Manhattan on a map.

If commuting will be part of your life, especially three, four or five days a week, you want to think about the whole picture before falling in love with a house.

What Is the Commute From Monmouth County to NYC Really Like?

There are two primary ways Monmouth County commuters get into New York: NJ Transit trains and the ferry. There are also bus options and, of course, driving, but for most buyers I work with who regularly commute into Manhattan, the train and ferry tend to be the biggest factors in deciding where to live.

The important question is not simply, “How long is the train ride?” Your real commute starts when you walk out your front door.

How long does it take you to get to the station? Will you drive there? Where will you park? Do you have to transfer? Where in Manhattan is your office? What happens after you get off the train or ferry? Are you doing this twice a week or five times a week?

A commute that sounds perfectly reasonable on paper can feel very different at 6:30 on a rainy Tuesday morning. That is why I encourage my relocating buyers to work backward from their actual routine rather than picking a town based solely on a published train schedule.

Atlantic Highlands and Highlands: The Ferry Lifestyle

If your dream involves living near the water while still having access to Manhattan, Atlantic Highlands and Highlands deserve serious consideration.

The ferry is one of the features that makes this part of Monmouth County so attractive to NYC commuters. Depending on the route and destination, commuters can travel by ferry into Manhattan rather than taking the train north.

And yes, commuting to work by boat is exactly as Jersey Shore as it sounds.

Atlantic Highlands has a charming downtown, restaurants, local businesses, access to trails and the waterfront, and a real sense of community. Highlands has its own personality, with an even stronger coastal feel and easy access to Sandy Hook.For the right buyer, this combination is pretty hard to beat.

There are tradeoffs, though. If you're considering a coastal property, you need to understand flood zones, insurance and the specific characteristics of the property you're buying. Those can vary dramatically, even within the same general area.

You also need to consider where your office is located in Manhattan. A ferry commute can be fantastic for someone whose workplace is convenient to the ferry terminal and less convenient for someone who still has a substantial trip once they arrive in the city.

This is why I will never tell someone, “Oh, the ferry is perfect!” without first asking where they actually need to go.

Middletown: One of the Most Versatile Choices for Commuters

Middletown comes up constantly with my commuting buyers, and for good reason.

It is a large township with a variety of neighborhoods, housing styles and price points, and it offers access to NJ Transit as well as proximity to ferry options depending on where in Middletown you live. That flexibility can be incredibly valuable for a household where one person commutes into Manhattan while another works locally or remotely.

The thing buyers need to understand about Middletown is that location within Middletown matters. Two homes with a Middletown address can give you very different daily routines. This is where looking at listings online without local context can get tricky. A house may check every box until you realize that getting from your particular neighborhood to your preferred commuting option adds another chunk of time every morning.

If you're considering Middletown, we should be talking about the neighborhood and your commute together.

Red Bank: Train Access With a Walkable Downtown

Red Bank is usually high on the list for buyers who are not quite ready to give up the energy and convenience of having restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, arts and entertainment nearby.

The NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line serves Red Bank, making it a natural place for NYC commuters to consider. The downtown is a major draw. If you're coming from an environment where you are used to walking out your front door and having somewhere to go, Red Bank can make the transition to suburban New Jersey feel a little less dramatic.

Housing is varied, and the surrounding areas offer additional options if you want proximity to downtown without necessarily living right in the middle of it.

For couples where one person is saying, “I want a yard,” and the other is saying, “Please don't make me live 25 minutes from a decent restaurant,” Red Bank tends to enter the conversation pretty quickly.

What About Holmdel, Marlboro and Manalapan?

This is where the decision becomes much more personal.

Holmdel, Marlboro and Manalapan are popular with buyers looking for more space, larger homes, established neighborhoods and particular school districts. They can absolutely work for NYC commuters, but the commute needs to be evaluated differently because you may be driving to a train, bus or other transportation option before the NYC portion of your trip even begins.

If you work remotely most of the week and commute once or twice, that tradeoff may be completely worth it. If you need to be sitting at a desk in Midtown at 8:30 every morning, five days a week, we should have a much more detailed conversation.

This is exactly why there isn't one “best town in Monmouth County for NYC commuters.”

There is a best fit for you based on how often you commute, where you work, what kind of home you want, your budget and what you want your life to look like when you're not working.

Ferry vs. Train: Which Is Better?

I wish I could give everyone one definitive answer because it would make my job much easier. I can't.

The ferry can be an incredible option for people living in the right location and working in a convenient part of Manhattan. The train opens up another collection of towns and neighborhoods and may make more sense depending on where you need to go.

When I'm helping a commuter relocate, I want to know:

How many days per week are you commuting? Where is your office? What time do you typically need to arrive? Are your hours predictable? How much commute time are you realistically willing to tolerate? Does your household have one car or two? How important is walking to restaurants and shops? How much house and property do you want?

Those answers usually narrow the map considerably.

Don't Choose Your Town Based Only on the Commute

Here's where I see people get tunnel vision. They become so focused on getting into Manhattan that they forget they are choosing where they will spend the rest of their life.

Your commute matters, but so does Saturday morning.

Do you want to walk into town for coffee? Do you want a larger backyard? Do you want to be five minutes from the beach? Are you looking for a close-knit neighborhood? Do you want more privacy? Are schools driving the decision? Do you have young kids who will need activities and childcare? Are you planning to stay in this house for five years or fifteen?

Those questions matter because Monmouth County isn't one homogeneous suburban market. Living in downtown Red Bank feels very different from living in Holmdel. Atlantic Highlands feels different from Marlboro. Highlands feels different from Manalapan.

That's one of my favorite things about this area. You can create very different lifestyles without leaving Monmouth County.

Moving From NYC to Monmouth County

For buyers coming directly from New York City, there can be a bit of an adjustment period. You will probably drive more. Your weekends may suddenly involve Home Depot. You may become strangely invested in your lawn. You might find yourself discussing property taxes at dinner with an enthusiasm you never thought possible. 

But you also gain access to a lifestyle that is difficult to replicate in the city.

More space. The Shore. Parks and trails. Distinct downtowns. Room to entertain. Communities where you start recognizing people. And, depending on where you choose, Manhattan can still remain very much part of your professional life. The trick is finding the place where those pieces fit together for your household.

Thinking About Moving to Monmouth County?

Before you spend six months falling in love with houses across twelve different towns, let's figure out what your actual life here needs to look like.

I can help you compare towns, neighborhoods, transportation options, home prices and the little details that don't necessarily show up in a Zillow listing or train timetable.

Sometimes the right answer is Atlantic Highlands. Sometimes it's Middletown. Sometimes it's Red Bank, Holmdel, Marlboro, Manalapan or somewhere you hadn't even considered yet.

That's the fun part.

Thinking about making the move? Contact The Melina Bradley Real Estate Team to start narrowing down the right Monmouth County communities for your budget, commute and lifestyle.