Housing options for all lifestyles in Bedminster
Thirty miles west of Newark, Bedminster is a coveted residential community with a mix of single-family homes and condos. “Back in the very early 1980s, there was a huge tract of land that was purchased by a corporation that put up townhouse condominiums,” says former resident and Realtor Lee M. Opperman. “The original concept was about 500 homes, but by the time they were done 15 years later, it was 5,000 homes.” At the time, AT&T’s international headquarters was located in Bedminster, so the condo community, The Hills, had no shortage of demand for new residents. “Before that, Bedminster was high-end equine land, some of the most expensive horse properties on the East Coast,” Opperman says. “A lot of very famous people were living out in that area – Malcolm Forbes, Jackie Onassis.” Once The Hills opened, Bedminster changed from being an elites-only community to welcoming all walks of life. “The Hills opened up a ton of opportunity,” he says. “It became affordable to almost everybody. You have low taxes, a great location and a great mix of wealthy and introductory housing. It’s a great opportunity - very young-money, very up-and-coming.”
Single-family homes, condos and sprawling estates
With about 60% single-family homes and 40% condos, Bedminster offers housing options suited to different lifestyles. Across the board, New Traditional architecture is most common, although there are some ranch-style homes, farmhouses and other architectural varieties available. Most of Bedminster’s single-family homes and condos sit relatively close together on picturesque, tree-lined streets, but there are some acreage properties in the township as well. With such variety, sales prices vary greatly, though most tend to fall between $300,000 and $850,000. “In order to get units built, The Hills had to pay strong attention to state requirements and put in low- and moderate-income housing, so they put in 600 units of government-funded housing,” Opperman says. “Two years ago, all that government-funded housing lost its designation, so now you have even more opportunity for people to move in that couldn’t afford the regular-price homes. It continues to be a land of opportunity.” Homes with price tags upwards of that are typically sprawling, multiacre estates with prices sometimes climbing into the millions. Buyers in Bedminster are also attracted to the area’s low taxes. “The taxes are extremely low because AT&T paid so much taxes into the town that the savings was passed off to the homeowners,” Opperman says.
The highly rated Bedminster Township School and Bernards High School
Preschool through eighth-grade students can attend Bedminster Township School, which gets an A-minus grade from Niche. Afterward, they can attend the A-rated Bernards High School in the A-plus-rated Somerset Hills Regional School District. In 2024, 92% of Bernards High School graduates continued to post-secondary education. “The school system’s always been very good,” Opperman says.
Country clubs, parks and horseback riding
Bedminster has an abundance of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy. The township has several esteemed private golf clubs, including Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Trump National Golf Club Bedminster and Hamilton Farm Golf Club. River Road Park is an ample outdoor space with sports fields, fishing access and an entry point to the nearly 7-mile Bedminster Hike & Bike Trail. Burnt Mills Park is a popular dog park in Bedminster, and those with horses can keep them at Red Tail Farm, which offers boarding, training and lessons. “There are tons of beautiful parks and riding trails for people who have horses,” Opperman says. “It’s right on the trail system, so you can take your horse off the back of your property and ride for miles and miles.” Bedminster is also home to Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve, a former dairy farm that’s now a 170-acre outdoor space with a fishing pond, a bird and butterfly garden and 5 miles of trails.
Dining and grocery shopping in town
Bedminster has several restaurants in town, including Delicious Heights, an elevated American tavern; The Pluckemin Inn, an upscale restaurant with a refined vintage interior; and Pancheros Mexican Grill, a casual taco and burrito chain. Residents can shop for groceries at The Fresh Market or Kings.
Proximity to Newark and New York City
“If you took a plus sign and put it in the state of Jersey, Bedminster would be at the crossroads,” Opperman says. “It’s exactly 30 miles west of Newark Airport, at the intersection of Interstates 287 and 78. You can make it into Newark in 30 minutes and Manhattan in an hour, and it’s 30 minutes east of the border of Pennsylvania.” Bedminster’s nearest hospital is Hunterdon Medical Center, 18 miles southwest.
