Diverse, affluent community fueled by local industries and NYC commuters
Flanders, a community in Mount Olive Township, lies in the German Valley of Morris County, with rolling hills on either side and preserved lands around it. “It’s a Hallmark Movie kind of place,” says Tara W. Lauterbach, an associate broker with Re/Max Heritage Properties, who has lived in Flanders since 2000 and has raised her kids through the school system. “It’s also very diverse. During Covid, families put up yard signs with pictures of their graduating seniors. You could see the diversity in their faces — Asian, Indian, Latino. We attract all cultures because our school system is so great. We’re also 50 miles from Manhattan. Commuters can take a train into the city.”
This semi-rural, affluent community is home to residents who work at places like the corporate headquarters of Siemens Healthcare, the research and development laboratories of Benjamin Moore, and the Innovation Studio of Mars Wrigley products, makers of M&M’s and Snickers. “It’s a great place to live and work,” Lautenbach adds. “Most of the land surrounding Flanders is environmentally protected. We’re not urban but more suburban with a strong country feel. The Columbia Trail comes right to the edge of town.”
Even so, Flanders’ population fell by nearly 22 percent between 2010 and 2020, most likely from closings like the Toys ‘R’ Us warehouse in 2018. However, the selling, demolition or repurposing of buildings has brought new companies like Amazon and Ktaxon, an e-commerce company, to Mount Olive Township.
Flanders, a community in Mount Olive Township, is a semi-rural, affluent community.
Flanders, NJ has headquarters of Siemens Healthcare, Benjamin Moore, and the Innovation Studio of Mars Wrigley.
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Vintage to contemporary homes on a half-acre or more
The median home price in Flanders is $650,000, nearly 25 percent higher than the national median. Most are colonial-style homes built between 1850 and today. They often feature hardwood floors, quintessential shutters, and attached or detached garages. Ranch-style and raised ranch-style homes with full basements on a half- to a full acre of land run a close second in terms of popularity. Because most properties are on larger lots, they often feature long driveways that accommodate several cars. Yards and lawns are generally well-kept, landscaped and inviting, showcasing Mount Olive Township’s hilly terrain and mature trees. Higher-end homes also typically feature luxury amenities, such as in-ground pools, firepits and side patios with gardens.
The median home price in Flanders, NJ for a Colonial Revival is $650,000, nearly 25 percent higher than the national median.
Many colonial homes in Flanders, NJ date back to the 19th century.
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A-rated school system emphasizing technology and artistic expression
The Mount Olive Township School District serves Flanders and receives an A-minus from Niche. The district offers four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school, most within a mile of the Flanders community. The high school features a 1,400-seat performing arts center, a robotics department with machine rooms and electronics stations, a high-def television station, a maker space with 3D printers, and a recording studio modeled after the famous Power Station Studio A in New York City. “The district has a successful Best Buddies program to help students with special needs make friends and provide support with finding employment after graduation,” Lauterbach says. “It’s a phenomenal school system with one of the largest football stadiums in the area, a good music and arts program, and a nationally recognized STEAM program. Jon Bon Jovi’s cousin helped develop the school’s recording studio. People move to Mount Olive to get their kids into the schools.”
Black River School in Flanders, NJ has 345 students in grades 6-8, with a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.
West Morris High School is a top rated, public school district located in Chester, NJ.
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From Budd Lake to the Flanders Valley Golf Course
Budd Lake, less than 5 miles from Flanders, is a glacial lake where ice works and mills once operated in the mid-1800s. Today, it is a prime spot for sports anglers, kayakers and boaters.
Closer still, Turkey Brook Park borders Flanders and is one of the most popular areas for recreation in Mount Olive. The 267-acre park features walking trails, multiple sports fields and courts, a dog park, an 11,000-square-foot playground, and a splash pad called Pirate’s Cove that’s nearly the same size as the playground. Maier’s Pond nearby is used for ice skating in winter and a fishing derby in October. “It’s a mecca of recreation,” Lauterbach says. “Visitors can pay their respects at the All Veterans Memorial, recognizing 9-11 victims and Mount Olive children who have passed away. Events like the Mount Olive Community Carnival in July also take place at Turkey Brook Park.”
Flanders Park in the heart of the community offers baseball and soccer fields, a playground, three sand volleyball courts, and three basketball courts. Nearby, the Flanders Valley Golf Course is a 409-acre public facility with two 18-hole championship courses, an outdoor pavilion for summer or early fall events and a clubhouse for small banquets.
Budd Lake in Mount Olive, NJ is a glacial lake where ice works and mills once operated in the mid-1800s.
Turkey Brook Park, which borders Flanders, NJ, is one of the most popular areas for recreation in Mount Olive, NJ.
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National and international restaurants and retailers
Near the center of Flanders, shoppers have several supermarket choices, such as Weis Markets, ShopRite and an Indian grocery store called Manna Supermarket. The international character of this shopping area is reflected in its restaurants too, which include Sabores de Columbia, an upscale Columbian eatery, and Efsane Mediterranean Cuisine, serving falafel, baklava, Turkish tea and other Mediterranean favorites. “There are many places to take kids after team sports,” Lautenbach says. “The After is on 206 and serves burgers, fries and old-school ice cream. Sundae’s is another ice cream place with small-batch flavors on U.S. 46.” To the north, the ITC Crossing South shopping mall features a dozen national retailers and restaurants, such as Lowe’s, Walmart and HomeGoods.
The After, on Rt 206 in Flanders, NJ, has ben serving burgers, fries and old-school ice cream since 1970.
ShopRite, in Flanders, NJ, is the local destination for groceries.
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Netcong NJ Transit Station, highways and Hackettstown Medical Center
U.S. 206 comes through Flanders, taking drivers south to Trenton, 50 miles away, or north into nearby Netcong, 5 miles away. Commuters can catch a NJ Transit train at Netcong Station. It’s an hour-and-a-half to two-hour ride to New York’s Penn Station. Interstate 80 is 4 miles north of Flanders, also taking drivers into NYC, and U.S. 46 runs through Mount Olive next door connecting drivers to Route 57 and Allentown, 50 miles west. The closest hospital is Hackettstown Medical Center, which offers emergency services, cancer care, heart care and bariatric medicine.
Rising crime numbers and a four-season climate
According to New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting data, incidents of violent and property crimes in Mount Olive Township continued to increase in 2023 after a five-year low in 2018. Residents of Flanders experience all four seasons, with snowfall from November until March.
Developments at the International Trade Center in Mount Olive
Construction of a new 585,000-square-foot warehouse is underway at the former North American headquarters for BASF Corporation, which was demolished in 2024. The new building, part of Mount Olive’s International Trade Center, will include 110 loading bays and 285 parking spaces. In another area of the ITC, The Gardens (also called ITC Crossing South) added several new businesses, including Panda Express, Chipotle and Fitness Factory Gym, to its existing list of nearly 30.
The Italian brand Beretta is one of many international companies that have outposts in Mount Olive, NJ's International Trade Center.
ITC Crossing South in Mount Olive features nearly 30 brand name stores.
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Written By
Christopher Kopczynski
Photography Contributed By
James Leynse
Video By
Adam Lapallo
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Christine Bond,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Flanders, NJ sell after 31 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Flanders, NJ over the last 12 months is $644,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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