Madison holds a number of distinctions, not least of which is securing the state’s top spot on NJ Monthly’s best places to live in 2019. “It became really popular after that,” says Michelle Daniher, a licensed real estate agent and principal of The Daniher Group with Compass. Madison’s school district also ranks in NJ’s top 50 and evidence of the town’s past role in the rose-growing industry still exists today.
Dubbed “Rose City,” about 17,000 residents live in this quiet bedroom community 15 miles west of NYC. This includes a historic train station and Main Street all within four square miles. Daniher shares how it’s become a mix of families that have lived there for generations and new families drawn to the community spirit.
Madison, NJ is one of the wealthiest towns in the state.
Madison, NJ has a vibrant downtown.
1/2
Charming Main Street with local businesses
Shopping is concentrated along the Main Street corridor, and the historic stretch offers local businesses with an Americana vibe. Daniher notes that many business owners live in town.
There's Shanghai Jazz, an established, upscale speakeasy for Asian food and live jazz and Sunday Motor Company for coffee and casual eats amidst antique cars. Healthy Italia offers popular cooking classes for both adults and kids. The Chatham Bookseller specializes in used and rare books, and The Snooki Shop, owned by Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi of Jersey Shore fame, sells clothes and accessories for channeling the Jersey Girl look.
For groceries, Stop & Shop and Whole Foods are in town, and the local farmer’s market expanded its season from May through December, with a planned move to Saturdays at the Prospect Street lot near the train.
Madison, NJ has a vibrant downtown scene with many shops and restaurants.
Healthy Italia in Madison, NJ offers cooking classes in the many variety of Italian cuisine.
1/2
Parades, street fairs and music
Madison’s family-oriented community comes together throughout the year. Bottle Hill Day is Madison-specific, an annual fall festival dating back to 1974. It’s grown to involve four stages of live music, more than 200 street vendors, beer garden, food trucks and family-friendly rides. Madison also holds year-round parades along Main Street. The annual Christmas parade is among the top draws, followed by the seasonal Santa Village.
1950s colonials walkable to town or parks
Attractive, tree-lined streets reflect a sparse suburban feel. Sidewalks are found in some pockets, but the streets are relatively quiet. Community parks, playgrounds and Main Street are within walking distance for some sections. 1950s Colonial Revival-style homes are most common, with some Victorians and contemporary new construction also present.
Single-family lots are slightly larger than average, but so is the median home price at $1.1 million. There are a handful of townhome communities, with a median price of $580,000. Prices generally range from $550,000 for a starter home up to $4 million for a mansion on 1 acre. However, Morris County property taxes are lower than comparable suburbs closer to the city.
A colonial style home is the picture of suburban idyll in Madison, NJ.
A raised ranch style home in Madison, NJ comes with a two car garage.
1/2
A-rated school district
Niche puts Madison’s school district in 41st place, with an overall A rating. Public school students attend either Kings Road School, Torey J. Sabatini School or Central Avenue School for kindergarten through fifth grades, then Madison Junior School for grades six through eight. About 800 students attend Madison High School, and sports are really big. The town also offers a part-time, integrated pre-kindergarten program for ages three and four at Central Avenue.
Madison High School in Madison, NJ is a highly ranked public school.
Central Avenue School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5.
1/2
Nature preserve and ice rink
Locals head to Memorial Park for its dog park, seasonal community pool and ice rink, while Giralda Farms Preserve is popular for its trails. Families also gravitate toward Dodge Field Playground, plus the Madison Area YMCA provides additional recreational activities.
Memorial Park in Madison, NJ honors all those who served in the US armed forces.
The dog park at Memorial Park in Madison, NJ is well loved by the park's 4 legged visitors.
1/2
Convenient access for NYC commuters
Madison benefits from a direct train to NYC, and the waiting room is housed in a 1916 historic landmark that looks more like a stone castle than a train station. Trains reach the city in about an hour and are popular with commuters; there’s a waitlist for a parking permit. Newark Liberty International Airport can be reached in half an hour, and midtown takes about an hour by car.
NJ Transit runs trains from Madison, NJ into NY's Penn Station.
People are attracted to the many amenities and high standard of living found in Madison, NJ.
1/2
Educational and cultural opportunities
Madison is home to Drew University and a branch of Fairleigh Dickinson University. The former is a private, four-year university that holds community events. It’s also home to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, one of the nation’s largest Shakespeare companies. Madison Public Library offers everything from STEM classes for kids to an adult lecture series. For everything Madison has to offer, it should be noted that Niche ranks it a B plus for diversity.
Drew University in Madison, NJ is one of the top ten best buy colleges in America.
Drew University in Madison, NJ is home to the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey.
The Mark Slade Homes Team has closed almost $ One-Half Billion in lifetime team sales and 750 transactions in the following towns: Maplewood, South Orange, Short Hills, Millburn, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Essex Fells, West Orange, Roseland, North Caldwell, Caldwell, West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Verona, Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Westfield, Cranford, Union, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Kenilworth, Rahway, Roselle, East Hanover, Florham Park, Chatham, Madison, Morristown, Wayne, North Haledon, Lincoln Park, Hoboken, Jersey City, Basking Ridge and Bernardsville. For Buyers we are ABR certified which allows us to consistently help our buyers find the right homes while making sure the process is managed successfully to get you to the closing table where you will get the keys to your new kingdom. For Sellers we have a cutting edge, tech savvy, strategy ( www.sladesells.com ) that enables our sellers to benefit from an average price paid for their properties that was 3.2% more than the average agent from the same MLS in the same towns. This effectively “reduces” the cost of selling by slightly more than half the typical transaction cost for our clients. Need to Sell and Buy at the same time? We pride ourselves on making this as smooth a move as possible for our clients! We are trained by Otteau Valuation Group to conduct an Advanced Comparable Analysis ( www.advancedcma.com ) when trying to best understand the value of a property at any given time. Our team is comprised of premier local experts to assist you with all your real estate needs in Essex, Union, Morris counties as well as some Hudson, some Passaic and some Middlesex. Whether you are a First Time Home Buyer, a current home owner needing more space or an empty nester looking to downsize, we have successfully helped our clients with over 275 closed transactions while maintaining the highest levels of service with integrity. We own and operate 7 Websites, including one site dedicated solely to our luxury listings (we are CLHMS certified). We also own and operate 30 town-specific Open House sites, thus blanketing the area with information for thirsty buyers. Lastly, we own and utilize over a dozen Social Media sites and pages as well as 353 domains to provide quick-find solutions and answers for our clients. Our clients love us because we make the home buying and selling process as easy as possible. We are a 24/7 responsive team. We are also a Team that GIVES BACK to over a dozen charities and organizations. Give us a call or text us at 917-797-5059 HOME.COMMUNITY.GIVING.GRATITUDE.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
