Hopelawn is a suburban village in Woodbridge Township
The quaint suburb of Hopelawn sits at the eastern end of Woodbridge Township. It has an ample market of postwar single-family homes next to community parks. Like many communities around Middlesex County, Hopelawn is also a popular bedroom community for New York City employees, as the Jersey Turnpike borders the neighborhood to the west. For retail, residents can choose between the commercial corridor along New Brunswick Avenue to the east, or several established malls around the Menlo Park and Woodbridge neighborhoods.
Postwar single-family homes fill the community
Home prices range from $350,000 to $600,000 and vary depending on square footage and lot size. Buyers can find numerous Cape Cods, bungalows and ranch-style homes along modest, grid-patterned streets. Though the community has been part of Woodbridge Township since the 19th century, most of Hopelawn’s available homes were constructed after World War II. “It’s really defined by its postwar suburban homes,” says Jan-Michael McClintic, a real estate agent with Real Broker LLC who has five years of experience serving Northeast New Jersey. “It’s stayed that way even though other parts of Woodbridge are slowly turning over to more modern condos and apartments these days.” Hopelawn offers a classic suburban atmosphere, with consistent sidewalks and bike-accessible residential roads.
Summer concerts around Woodbridge Township
Woodbridge Township is a hub for free live music, with its jam-packed summer concert schedule. Venues include familiar locations around town, such as Woodbridge High School and Parker Press Park. Concerts happen almost every day from June through August, so there are ample opportunities to catch a show.
Many commute to New York City by road or rail
Drivers can take the Jersey Turnpike 30 miles to Manhattan, which takes about an hour, depending on notorious rush hour traffic. “There are definitely New York City commuters living here,” says McClintic. “The best train station for them will likely be Metropark, which’ll take you directly to Newark or Manhattan.” The Metropark NJ Transit station is 6 miles north of Hopelawn. From there, commuters can catch a train to Madison Square Garden, which takes roughly 45 minutes. Newark Liberty International Airport is 15 miles north and offers domestic and international flights. The HMH Raritan Bay Medical Center is the nearest hospital, just a mile east on New Brunswick Avenue.
Woodbridge area malls and local dining in Fords and Perth Amboy
New Brunswick Avenue has SuperFresh Hopelawn for groceries, and several local restaurants line the street. East toward Perth Amboy is Flat Iron Tavern, for pub grub, drinks and live music on Fridays. Further west toward the Fords neighborhood is El Viejo Fred Restaurant, offering authentic Dominican dishes like steak platters, mofongo and empanadas. Woodbridge Center is a two-story mall with department stores like Boscov’s and JCPenney. Menlo Park Mall is just 6 miles from home, with Macy’s, Nordstrom and an AMC Dine-In theater.
Community parks are spread around town
Bruce A. Turcotte Memorial Park is in the heart of Hopelawn and features a playground and basketball court. Fords Park is a few blocks from home, with a pond, gazebo, tennis and basketball courts, and a baseball field that hosts games for the Fords Clara Barton Baseball League. William Warren Park stretches over 126 acres and has several soccer fields, playgrounds, picnic groves and an outdoor gym. The park also has a mini theater, often used for the Kids in the Park and Teens in the Park summer theater programs.
Advanced Placement courses at Woodbridge High School
Woodbridge Township School District serves children in the Hopelawn area. Students can attend Port Reading School for prekindergarten through fifth grade, and then go on to Woodbridge Middle School. Both get C-plus ratings from Niche. Woodbridge High School receives a B-rating and offers Advanced Placement courses, including biology, psychology, music theory and calculus.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
