High-end commuter town with a strong sense of community
Part of Millburn Township in Essex County, Short Hills was founded in the late 1800s by Stewart Hartshorn, who made his fortune in security shutters that protected storefronts. Hartshorn’s vision was to create a community where people could live harmoniously with nature and each other. One of his best decisions was to build a train station in town along the Morris and Essex Railroad line that would eventually become a direct line to New York City. Today, Short Hills is known as a commuter town for residents who work in Manhattan. With a median household income of $256,000, more than three times the national average, Short Hills is an affluent community where 88% of residents own their homes.
“Short Hills is a special place,” says Judith Daniels, a team leader with Prominent Properties Sotheby’s, who grew up in Short Hills, is raising her family there, and has been a local Realtor since 2006. “After Hurricane Ida, everyone came together. High school students and their parents helped with the cleanup. And the township does its part to take care of citizens. When there wasn’t enough parking at the train station for commuters, the station offered valet parking until a new deck was finished. For households with two working parents, the school system offered subscription busing. The township takes care of us in practical and important ways.”
Often recognized for its highly ranked school system, the town also features stunning homes, beautiful parks and greenspaces, a high-end mall, and dozens of local shops and restaurants. Named for the topology of the region, Short Hills is big on almost every suburban convenience.
An elevated view of homes in the downtown area of Millburn, NJ.
The Millburn Delicatessen has been perfecting sandwiches since 1946 and offers a huge menu.
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Homes with meticulous design and grand features
The average home price in Short Hills is $2.2 million, over four times the national average. Homes here range from historic residences built as early as 1900 when the town was founded to newly constructed magnificent colonial-styles with luxury amenities. The common denominators in Short Hills are meticulous design and grand features. Buyers will find custom-built homes designed by award-winning architects and timeless Victorians with thoughtful craftsmanship and updated modern systems. The number of bedrooms can range from four to 10, and many of these homes sit on a half-acre or more of land.
“The real estate market in Short Hills is strong,” Daniels says. “Even when the market was down, we followed the ebbs and flows but were not as affected.” Some areas, like those within walking distance of South Mountain, a popular recreational area, might be more desirable, she says. But for the most part, all homes in Short Hills sell well. “This is generally a safe town, and our police, fire department and EMTs do an exceptional job.”
A healthy mix of Tudor and Colonial style homes on a tree lined street in Millburn, NJ.
A white Colonial style home sits on a beautiful cherry blossom lined street in Millburn.
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Short Hills’ exceptional public schools
The Millburn Township School District serves Short Hills and scores an A-plus from Niche. The district’s six elementary schools rank among the top 13 elementary schools in New Jersey, and the high school is consistently ranked as one of the top secondary schools in both the state and the nation. Ninety-nine percent of graduating seniors attend four-year colleges. Approximately 5,000 students attend Millburn Township Public Schools.
“My parents moved here over 50 years ago for the school system,” Daniels says. “My kids attend the same elementary I did at their age. New Jersey is known for its excellent public schools, and Millburn schools are often at the top of the list.”
Families may also choose Far Brook School, a private day school serving students in nursery through eighth grade, and Pingry School Lower Campus for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Deerfield Elementary School is one of many schools in the area that serve Millburn residents.
Niche gave Millburn High School an overall grade of A+.
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City parks, an arboretum and South Mountain Reservation
Gero Park in Short Hills and Taylor Park in Millburn are each popular for their playgrounds and sports facilities, which include baseball fields, a basketball court and tennis courts that double as pickleball courts. Gero also features a roller hockey rink, a community swimming pool and a municipal golf course. Taylor has a duck pond where visitors can fish and participate in the township’s annual fishing derby in April. In September, the park hosts Rocktoberfest, a music festival and fundraiser that benefits the Millburn Education Foundation, which supports local schools, teachers and students. Taylor Park also features “All Together Now,” a colorful public art installation, which is one of a dozen town-wide exhibits that offer expressions of community inclusivity.
Short Hills is also home to the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, named after the daughter of founder Stewart Hartshorn. In nearby Crescent Park, a public 9/11 memorial commemorates the first responders and eight Millburn residents who were killed in the terrorist attacks. The monument includes two pieces of steel from the World Trade Center.
South Mountain Reservation borders Short Hills and features over 2,000 acres of nature preserve with access to the 36-mile Lenape Trail, which connects 18 parks and 11 municipalities in Essex County. The park also offers the Regatta Playground, one of the largest in the area, which sits next to the Orange Reservoir, where visitors can rent paddle boats or walk the 1.7-mile path around it. The Essex County Turtle Back Zoo is next to the reservoir.
People playing basketball and beach volleyball at Taylor Park, Millburn, NJ.
Stroll or paddle your time away at the beautiful South Mountain Reservation near Springfield.
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The Mall at Short Hills, the downtowns and the Paper Mill Playhouse
Short Hills is well-known for its upscale shopping mall next to the Canoe Brook Country Club, where Route 24 meets the John F. Kennedy Parkway. The Mall at Short Hills features high-end designer brands like Prada and Chanel, and is anchored by Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.
Short Hills’ quaint downtown across from the train station on Chatham Road offers several businesses, including a pizza place, a dry cleaner and a pet groomer. Millburn’s downtown on Millburn Avenue is much larger, with favorites like Liv Breads, specializing in the breads and pastries of Europe and Isreal. Basilico, a high-end eatery, serves Northern Italian cuisine and offers outdoor seating when weather permits. The Paper Mill Playhouse, a local theater company, is on Brookside Drive. “Productions may be off-Broadway, but I’ve seen them, and they’re Broadway-quality,” Daniels says.
The township has a commercial corridor along Morris Turnpike where people can shop for groceries at Kings Food Markets or ShopRite. The shopping district also offers dozens of fast-food chains, businesses and retail stores.
High end shopping can be found nearby at the Short Hills Mall near Livingston.
Basilico deliveres refined italian fare close to the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.
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Commuting to NYC by car or train
Routes 24 and 124 border Short Hills and flow into Interstate 78, which connects to the Garden State Parkway, 8 miles east, and Newark Liberty International Airport, 15 miles east. New York City is a 25-mile drive using I-78, the most direct route. Short Hills and Millburn each have a train station where passengers can pick up NJ Transit trains with direct service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, about a 40-minute commute. “So many people commute to the city, my husband included,” Daniels says. “The commuter lots at both train stations are resident-only. The Millburn Library nearby offers $10 daily parking, but you still must be a resident. Nearby towns have waitlists for parking, but Short Hills has been practical with how it spends municipal funds, and there are adequate parking decks for all residential commuters.”
Stable crime and climate numbers
According to New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting data, violent and property crimes in Millburn Township have gone up and down over the past several years, with a noticeable 30% dip in 2020 and a more recent 7% decrease in 2023. FBI crime data confirms these trends.
The Millburn-Short Hills area enjoys a temperate climate with mild winters and hot summers. The average high in July is 85.5 degrees and the average low in January is 19.6 degrees, which is on par with most of the United States.
Written By
Christopher Kopczynski
Video By
Brad Davis
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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GreatSchools:
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