You’ve decided to move to New Jersey, maybe for a new job, to live closer to your family or for some other reason. Whatever the reason it may be, you’ve chosen a lovely place to start a new chapter in your life. The State of New Jersey is most famous for its Jersey Shore that is 140 miles long. Then there are some locations in the state that have quick access to prime destinations such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The cost of living in the Garden State is quite low, making it even more attractive to families, young professionals, and retirees. But not all the locations across the state have the same costs of living and housing. So here are some places to check out if you’re looking for the most affordable homes in New Jersey – and a few reasons to take them into consideration as well.
Trenton
Trenton, the capital of the state, is a place where you can look for affordable homes in New Jersey as its median home value is below average for the state. However, this small town of about 85,000 people is not a dull city with nothing to offer. It lies on the Delaware River and is less than 70 miles away from New York. It’s home to several places of interest.
- New Jersey State House is one of the major attractions in town. Architect Jonathan Doane built it in 1792 and then three major additions followed throughout the 19th century.
- New Jersey State Museum features fine art, cultural history, natural history, archaeology and ethnography collections, but it’s most popular for its Planetarium.
- William Trent House is another major attraction in this town. William Trent built it back in 1719 and then proceeded to lay ground the following year for what would later become the city of Trenton.
- Old Barracks are the last remaining colonial barracks in New Jersey. They are also the only original French and Indian War barracks in the US today, dating back to 1758.
- Trenton City Museum features artworks and other items related to the local history. It’s home today is an Italianate-style mansion dating back to the 19th century.
- New Jersey State Library is a favorite place of all book lovers in town.
Trenton is also home to the Thomas Edison State University, one of the oldest educational institutions in the country. It also has some beautiful parks and quite a few special events throughout the year, such as Capital City Book Fair, Taste Trenton and Jazz On The River festival.
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton
Vineland, Millville and Bridgeton form the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area. All three of them are in Cumberland County and also among the most affordable places in the state. They are all small towns, the biggest one being Vineland with a bit more than 60,000 people. If you’re looking for affordable homes in New Jersey, this is another option to consider.
Vineland
The main street in town is Landis Avenue, intersected with the Boulevard. The restoration process of the Avenue and the central area in town is currently underway and some new constructions are coming as well, such as a new post office, courthouse, elementary school and community center. You might want to check out this place if you’re looking for affordable homes in New Jersey.
Even though Vineland is a small town, there are quite a few places to visit over there.
- The Delsea Drive-In is the only drive-in theater in New Jersey today. Yet few people know that this particular type of theaters was first introduced in this very state back in 1932.
- The Palace of Depression is also known as The Strangest House in the World or the Home of Junk. It was built by George Daynor, a man who earned his wealth as an Alaska golden miner and then lost all he had during the Wall Street Crash back in 1929. He built this particular place to celebrate willpower in the face of the effects of The Great Depression.
- The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is a museum and research library founded in 1910. It displays a large collection related to the city’s history.
Millville
The places of interest in this town include:
- Laurel Lake Community Center, Beaches and Piersites
- New Jersey Motorsports Park
- Levoy Theatre
- Southwind Vineyard & Winery
- Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center.
Bridgeton
Some of the places you might want to visit are:
- Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church (dating back to 1795)
- 7 Sisters (the oldest row of commercial buildings in Bridgeton)
- New Sweden Farmstead Museum (an open-air museum in City Park).
- Potter’s Tavern (a Revolutionary War-era tavern).
Pleasantville
With just about 20,000 residents, Pleasantville is a small town, but has a lot to offer. It’s in Atlantic County, situated just 5 miles away from downtown Atlantic City, one of the top spots for entertainment in the US. Hence the residents are able to enjoy the Atlantic City’s great beaches, boardwalks, restaurants and attractions, while they can avoid its higher costs of living at the same time.
Wildwood
This popular resort city on the Jersey Shore belongs to the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. There are about 5,300 people who call this place their home, yet the population grows to 250,000 during the summer months. Most of the visitors come from the state of New Jersey and the neighboring states, as well as from Ontario and Quebec in Canada.
Wildwood is famous for its beach and boardwalk.The beach is among the best ones in the state, while the boardwalk is home to the Morey’s Piers amusement complex and to two waterparks Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis.
If looking for affordable homes in New Jersey…
Check the places listed above. As you can see, there are quite a few vibrant towns where you could find affordable homes in New Jersey. Once you’ve found your new home, you need to start thinking about moving, which is another bulky process to deal with. Yet it’s manageable, especially if you decide to hire professional help and make sure to hire a reliable moving company.