Montgomery Township
New Jersey's Best Towns For Families 2016 Somerset County Winner
Population: 22,078
Average Home Price: $576,757
When Amy and Dr. Brian Vannozzi were looking for a place to raise their family five years ago, Montgomery Township shot to the top of their list. They loved the town’s “bucolic, rural feel” and how close it is to so much more. It sits right on the border of Somerset County, so it’s got tons of green, open space. It’s also only a stone’s throw from Princeton, which means all the benefits that go with living near a college town—from university-supported sports games and lectures to a million kid-friendly restaurants.
Montgomery is home to newly-restored Skillman Park, which has a wide, two-mile-long trail where kids can ride their bikes, and is close to Montgomery Veterans Park in Belle Mead, with miles of hiking and bike trails, plus a gorgeous arboretum.
It’s also a town touched by American history. In Montgomery Township: An Historic Community, late town historian Ursula C. Brecknell wrote that residents here saw General Washington’s troops march by after his Battle of Princeton victory in 1777. And Upton Sinclair penned The Jungle, an exposé of the American meatpacking industry, while he lived nearby in the early 1900s.
Montgomery is also roughly halfway between New York City and Philadelphia, and situated on several major highways, which means great restaurants and big shopping pavilions are right down the road. Commuters can take NJ Transit’s Northeast Corridor line from the nearby Princeton Junction station to NYC (59 minutes) or to Philadelphia (85 minutes).
“We feel very fortunate to have a found such a beautiful place to raise our family,” says Amy Vannozzi. “We love watching our kids form their own friendships and make memories they will have for a lifetime.”
More of New Jersey's Best Towns for Families 2016
2016 Winner: New Jersey's Best Towns for Families
The Full 2016 List: New Jersey's Best Towns for Families
Best NYC Commuter Towns for Families in NJ
Most Diverse Towns for Families in NJ
Most Affordable Towns for Families in NJ
Safest Towns for Families in NJ
Towns With the Best School Districts in NJ
Hoboken: We Still Love You
Best Morris County Town: Boonton
Best Union County Town: New Providence
Best Essex County Town: Essex Fells
Best Large Towns in NJ
Best Mid-Size Towns in NJ
Best Small Towns in NJ
Methodology for New Jersey's Best Towns for Families
See New Jersey's Best Towns
for Families for 2015 list
