Cresskill

When the desire for a familial suburban feel pulls you out of the activity of New York City, you might be looking to settle down in Cresskill. Just across the Hudson River, 30 minutes outside the Big Apple, the New Jersey borough boasts the makings for a modest lifestyle within a family-centric frame. “People move here for their kids,” says Realtor Bahr Rapaport of Keller Williams Realty. “With its top-rated education system and close proximity to the city, Cresskill offers a little more value than neighboring towns.”
Real estate prices and sizes run the gamut here. “Cresskill is a vast space in which we have large properties in the east and smaller quarter-acre properties closer to the valley area in the west,” Rapaport says. The median home value in Cresskill is $887,500, but listing prices for single-family homes range from $475,000 for a modest two-story home to $7 million mansions boasting 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Rapaport also says there is a mixed bag of styles. Older homes reflect their history in more traditional Colonial-revival styles, newer subdivisions feature minimalistic split levels, and New-Age Farmhouse and rambling contemporary styles are popular among the larger estates.
The area’s highly rated schools are a definite magnet for residents, Rapaport says. “Cresskill is a medium-sized town with a small but strong school system, which fosters a tight sense of community and allows parents to be highly involved.” With only four schools, the Cresskill Public School District is rated #9 in Best School Districts in Bergen County by Niche, with an A overall rating and an A+ rating in both academics and teachers. Kindergarten through fifth grade students may attend Edward H Bryan Elementary School or Merritt Memorial Elementary School, which feed into Cresskill Middle School for sixth through eighth grade. Cresskill High School prides itself on the nine-to-one student-teacher ratio and is rated one of the top 10 best public high schools in Bergen County by Niche. Freshmen through seniors benefit from a rigorous academic program that includes college preparatory and Advanced Placement courses.
The schools’ active parent organizations support an engaging community for kids outside of school hours with the help of Cresskill’s town council. “The town of Cresskill really makes a point to be very community-driven,” Rapaport says, noting that the borough regularly hosts events that bring residents and families together. In October, streets are shut down to make way for extravagantly spooky decorations during Cresskill’s Halloween festival. On Independence Day, the Fourth of July parade creates a star-spangled celebration, engulfing the town in red, white and blue.
Parks and recreational facilities also promote community involvement in Cresskill and surrounding areas. Children get their fill of outdoor fun at local spots like the 12th Street playground and Brookline Park Add, which is home to tennis and basketball courts, soccer fields and the Cresskill Community Center. Along the Hudson River, the Palisades Interstate Park provides the area’s residents with 30 miles of hiking trails and riverfront access within its 2,500-acre tract. Rapaport says the town’s excellent park system offers a great place for parents and kids alike to socialize. “The town is very intertwined with its neighboring towns, which exposes kids to many different people.”
A slew of boutiques and restaurants comprise the downtown area of Cresskill, including local favorites like Farmhouse Café and The Early Bird Coffee, which bustle with activity every morning. And more businesses are moving in: “Cresskill is seeing a bit of a facelift,” Rapaport says. “There have been a few new commercial builds, so we’re anticipating some new things coming into town for shopping and dining.”
Cresskill’s family-oriented community and suburban feel make it a destination for those looking to create a fulfilling life for their children while within reach of New York City. “It’s just a great town and a great suburb to grow up in,” Rapaport says.

Written By

Tina Davis

Photography Contributed By

Brendan Rogers

Video By

Victoria York