Direct Answer
The best place to live in New Jersey to commute to NYC is the town on the line that matches your office and your week. Choose a PATH town such as Hoboken or Jersey City for the most frequent commute, since PATH runs around the clock and a 30-day pass costs $131.50 (fares as of October 2026). A Midtown Direct town such as Montclair, Maplewood or South Orange fits an office near Penn Station and a few commuting days a week, with a weekday ride of 31 to 51 minutes and a monthly pass of $255 to $276. The Jill Biggs Group can match your office address and schedule to the towns, and the homes, that fit.
The strongest case for a Midtown Direct town is a good one: the weekday train from Montclair, Maplewood or South Orange runs to Penn Station with no change, in 31 to 51 minutes by NJ Transit’s timetables. That case describes the weekday. PATH runs around the clock, while a weekend train from Montclair’s Bay Street station leaves about every two hours and the trip to New York includes a change at Newark Broad Street. A 40-minute train is a good commute right up to the Saturday you want to get home from dinner.
This guide sorts New Jersey’s commuter towns by the line that serves them, starting with the PATH, ferry and bus towns of Hudson County, then the Midtown Direct towns of Essex and Union counties, then the rail and bus towns of Bergen County. It prices a month of commuting on each line, puts home values side by side, and ends with the questions buyers ask most.
Stop 01The whole map
Compare NJ Commuter Towns at a Glance
The best NJ commuter towns for NYC are Hoboken and Jersey City for the shortest and most frequent commute, Weehawken and Union City for Hudson County access by ferry or bus, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Maplewood, South Orange and Summit for a one-seat train to Penn Station, and Westfield, Ridgewood, Tenafly and Englewood for Union and Bergen County homes with a rail transfer or bus commute. This table sorts them by how you get to Manhattan.
| Town | How you commute | To Midtown | To Downtown | Monthly cost, five days | Median sold price, July to September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoboken | PATH, NY Waterway ferry, NJ Transit 126 bus | 15 min by PATH to 33rd Street | 11 min by PATH to the World Trade Center | $131.50 (PATH pass) | $990,000 (205 sales) |
| Jersey City, PATH stations (Downtown and Journal Square) | PATH from Exchange Place, Newport, Grove Street and Journal Square | 15 to 23 min to 33rd Street from Newport, Grove Street and Journal Square | 4 to 12 min to the World Trade Center | $131.50 (PATH pass) | $855,000 (213 sales) |
| Jersey City, Heights | NJ Transit buses 119 and 123, or a bus or walk to Journal Square PATH | 30 to 45 min door to door | PATH from Journal Square to the World Trade Center | Bus pass priced by zone | $853,500 (100 sales) |
| Weehawken | NY Waterway ferry from Port Imperial or Lincoln Harbor; NJ Transit express bus | Under 10 min by ferry; 15 to 20 min by express bus | Light Rail to Newport or Hoboken, then PATH | $327 ferry pass plus 4.88% surcharge | $1,132,500 (30 sales) |
| West New York | NJ Transit buses | Bus times depend on traffic | Bus to Port Authority, then subway | Bus pass priced by zone | $535,000 (80 sales) |
| Union City | NJ Transit buses, jitneys, Light Rail to Hoboken | 15 to 20 min by bus to Port Authority | Light Rail to Hoboken Terminal, then PATH | Bus pass priced by zone | $665,000 (66 sales) |
| Montclair (Bay Street) | NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton Line | 35 to 51 min to Penn Station | Penn Station, then subway | $255 | |
| Glen Ridge | Montclair-Boonton Line | 32 to 48 min to Penn Station | Penn Station, then subway | $223 | |
| Maplewood | Morris & Essex Line, Midtown Direct | 31 to 46 min to Penn Station | Penn Station, then subway | $276 | |
| South Orange | Morris & Essex Line, Midtown Direct | 31 to 43 min to Penn Station | Penn Station, then subway | $255 | |
| Summit | Morris & Essex Line, Midtown Direct | 39 to 57 min to Penn Station | Penn Station, then subway | $362 | |
| Westfield | NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line | 47 to 70 min to Penn Station; some trips change at Newark Penn | Penn Station, then subway | $328 | |
| Ridgewood | Main and Bergen County lines to Hoboken; transfer at Secaucus Junction | 45 to 72 min to Penn Station | PATH from Hoboken, or Penn Station and subway | $362 | |
| Tenafly and Englewood | NJ Transit buses to Port Authority and the George Washington Bridge Bus Station | Bus times depend on traffic | Subway from Port Authority | Bus pass priced by zone |
Sources: PATH weekday timetable, effective October 13, 2026; NJ Transit weekday timetables (Morris & Essex, Raritan Valley and Main/Bergen County as of May 31, 2026; Montclair-Boonton as of August 30, 2026), shortest to longest weekday trip to New York Penn Station; NJ Transit fares effective July 1, 2026; NY Waterway; JBG community guides for the Heights, Weehawken and Union City bus and ferry times; Hudson County MLS (RMLS), closed sales of one- to four-family homes, condos and co-ops from July 1 to September 30, 2026. Hudson County MLS records few sales outside Hudson County, so those towns show no price.
Which line fits you depends on your office and your schedule, so that comes next.
Stop 02Line first, town second
Where Should I Live in New Jersey to Commute to NYC?
Live where the line serving the town matches your office and your week. Pick the line first and the town second, because the line sets how often trains run, whether they run at night and on weekends, and what a month costs.
PATH towns give you trains all day and all night. NJ Transit rail towns give you one seat to Penn Station on weekday Midtown Direct trains, on a timetable that varies by line and by day.
| What changes | PATH towns | NJ Transit rail towns |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Around the clock, seven days a week | Set by each line’s timetable; Montclair-Boonton weekend trains leave Bay Street about every two hours, with a change at Newark Broad Street to reach New York |
| Reaching Manhattan | Direct to the World Trade Center or 33rd Street | Penn Station on Midtown Direct trains; a Downtown job adds a subway ride |
| Ticket for a hybrid week | PATH multi-trip bundles at $3.10 a ride | NJ Transit FlexPass: 20 one-way tickets at 15% off |
Sources: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; NJ Transit timetable (Montclair-Boonton, August 30, 2026) and FlexPass. Service as of October 2026.
Where in Manhattan you work changes the answer again.
Stop 03Your office address
Midtown vs Downtown Manhattan: Which NJ Commute Works Best?
Downtown workers do best in a PATH town, and Midtown workers have the widest choice. The fastest Downtown commute in this guide is from Downtown Jersey City, at 4 to 8 minutes by PATH to the World Trade Center, and 33rd Street is 15 to 23 minutes by PATH from Newport, Grove Street and Journal Square.
NJ Transit takes 31 to 57 minutes from the Midtown Direct towns, and its rail lines end at Penn Station in Midtown, so a Downtown job from one of those towns adds a subway ride. The Jersey City section below has the station-by-station times. After the ride, the monthly bill is the next difference.
Stop 04The monthly fare
How Much Does It Cost to Commute From New Jersey to NYC Each Month?
A five-day commute costs $255 a month by NJ Transit from Montclair or South Orange, against $131.50 for a 30-day PATH pass, so the rail commute costs $123.50 a month more at the fares NJ Transit set on July 1, 2026. Our guide to getting from Hoboken to Manhattan prices PATH, the ferry and driving in full. The table assumes 22 office days a month for five days a week and 13 for three days a week, with a round trip each day.
| Town | Fare zone | Five days a week | Three days a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Ridge | 4 | $223.00 (monthly pass) | $187.45 (FlexPass plus six one-way tickets) |
| Montclair (Bay Street), South Orange | 5 | $255.00 | $201.25 |
| Maplewood | 6 | $276.00 | $216.20 |
| Westfield | 8 | $328.00 | $257.60 |
| Summit, Ridgewood | 9 | $362.00 | $271.40 |
Sources: NJ Transit fares to New York Penn Station effective July 1, 2026, with FlexPass at the one-way fare for 20 tickets less 15%.
We checked the arithmetic twice, because a gap of $123.50 a month looks like a typo. The pass prices are correct, and over ten years the gap comes to about $14,800 before fare changes on either system. At three office days a week, a FlexPass plus six one-way tickets costs less than the monthly pass in every zone, by $35.55 in Glen Ridge and by $90.60 in Summit or Ridgewood.
Pass prices for the Heights, West New York, Union City, Tenafly and Englewood bus routes depend on the number of zones, and NJ Transit’s fare charts list each one. With cost settled, the towns come next.
Stop 05Town by town
Which NJ Commuter Towns Fit My Budget and Schedule?
Each town below is tied to a line, so read the commute first and the price second.
Hudson CountyPATH, ferry and bus
1. Hoboken
Commute. Hoboken has one of the shortest PATH commutes in this guide, with the NY Waterway ferry and the NJ Transit 126 bus leaving from town as well.
Homes. Hoboken homes sold at a median of $990,000 from July through September 2026 across 205 sales, after a median of 12 days on the market, according to Hudson County MLS data, and our September 2026 Hoboken market report covers the latest month.
Best for. Buyers who commute four or five days a week and want trains at any hour. Our guide to living in Hoboken and working in NYC compares prices and taxes with Manhattan and Brooklyn, and our Hoboken community guide covers the neighborhoods.
JBG insight
Pier A Park and the Hoboken waterfront consistently come up in buyer conversations as a lifestyle differentiator, because you can run, kayak or have dinner with an unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline. For buyers comparing Hoboken to Jersey City, the key question is whether the price gap is worth it.
2. Jersey City: Downtown, the Heights and Journal Square
Commute. Jersey City is three markets with three commutes: PATH at Downtown and Journal Square, and buses from the Heights, which has no PATH station of its own. Our guide to living near the PATH gives the ride time from each station.
Cost. PATH costs the same $131.50 for a 30-day pass from every Jersey City station, and Heights bus passes are priced by zone.
Homes. Jersey City recorded 425 sales from July through September 2026 at a median of $788,000, and the Heights alone 100 sales at $853,500, according to Hudson County MLS data. Our September 2026 Jersey City report splits the city into six submarkets.
Best for. Downtown suits World Trade Center offices, Journal Square suits buyers who want PATH at a lower price, and the Heights suits buyers who will trade a PATH station for square footage. Our Jersey City to NYC commute guide covers the commute, and the Downtown, Heights and Journal Square guides cover the neighborhoods. Hoboken vs. Jersey City compares the two cities.
JBG insight
The most common question we hear is whether Jersey City is as good as Hoboken. On the commute to the World Trade Center, Downtown Jersey City is faster: Exchange Place is 4 minutes away and Hoboken is 11.
3. Weehawken, West New York and Union City
Commute. Weehawken’s ferry crosses to Midtown in under 10 minutes from Port Imperial or Lincoln Harbor, and an express bus takes 15 to 20 minutes. NY Waterway boats leave Port Imperial every 20 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. and on weekends from 8:00 a.m., with late runs on Fridays and Saturdays. Union City commutes by NJ Transit bus to Port Authority in 15 to 20 minutes, by a 24-hour jitney network, or by Light Rail to Hoboken Terminal for PATH.
Cost. The Port Imperial ferry costs $327 a month before the surcharge, and bus passes from West New York and Union City are priced by zone.
Homes. From July through September 2026, Weehawken sold 30 homes at a median of $1,132,500, Union City 66 at $665,000 and West New York 80 at $535,000, the lowest median in this guide, according to Hudson County MLS data. Our September 2026 Weehawken report and September 2026 Union City report cover the latest month.
Best for. Weehawken suits Midtown West offices near a ferry landing, and Union City suits buyers who want a Hudson County address at a lower price on a bus line. Read our Weehawken community guide and our guide to ferry commutes from Weehawken, Hoboken and Jersey City for the landings, and our Union City community guide for the buses.
JBG insight
Weehawken is consistently underrated in commuter-town conversations. The ferry to Midtown takes under 10 minutes, and for buyers who work in Midtown and put quality of life ahead of nightlife, the town is worth a serious look.
Essex and Union countiesMidtown Direct and rail
4. Montclair and Glen Ridge
Commute. NJ Transit’s weekday timetable lists 27 trains from Bay Street to Penn Station, 8 of them between 6 and 9 a.m. Rides take 35 to 51 minutes from Bay Street and 32 to 48 from Glen Ridge, one stop closer to New York. Weekend trains leave Bay Street about every two hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the trip to New York takes about 40 minutes with a change at Newark Broad Street.
Cost. A Bay Street monthly pass costs $255 and a Glen Ridge pass $223. At three office days a week, the FlexPass route costs $201.25 from Bay Street and $187.45 from Glen Ridge.
Best for. A hybrid schedule suits this commute best, and our Essex County community guide and our guide to things to see and do in Montclair cover the towns.
JBG insight
If Montclair is on your shortlist, move quickly and be prepared to compete.
5. Maplewood and South Orange
Commute. Both towns sit on NJ Transit’s Morris & Essex Line, where Midtown Direct trains run to Penn Station without a transfer. Each town has its own station, so check which one an address is closest to. The weekday ride takes 31 to 43 minutes from South Orange and 31 to 46 from Maplewood, which makes them among the shortest rail commutes in this guide.
Cost. A South Orange monthly pass costs $255 and a Maplewood pass $276. At three office days a week, the FlexPass route costs $201.25 and $216.20.
Best for. Both towns suit buyers with offices near Penn Station who go in four or five days a week.
JBG insight
“SO/MAP” has become shorthand in New York real estate circles for a certain type of buyer: creative, family-oriented and attached to community more than nightlife.
6. Summit and Westfield
Commute. Summit’s Midtown Direct trains reach Penn Station in 39 to 57 minutes, with a typical ride of 51, which is long enough to finish a podcast episode and start the next one. Westfield’s Raritan Valley Line reaches Newark Penn Station in 23 to 30 minutes, and NJ Transit’s timetable lists 47 to 70 minutes to Penn Station New York, with a change at Newark Penn on some trips.
Cost. A Summit monthly pass costs $362 and a Westfield pass $328. At three office days a week, the FlexPass route costs $271.40 from Summit and $257.60 from Westfield, which saves $90.60 and $70.40 against the monthly pass.
Best for. Both towns fit hybrid schedules, and our guide to selling in the city and buying in the suburbs covers the move out of Hudson County.
JBG insight
Summit’s market moves fast. At this price point, buyers need mortgage pre-approval in place and an agent who knows the inventory before it hits Zillow, because Summit rewards preparation.
Bergen CountyRail and bus
7. Ridgewood, Tenafly and Englewood
Commute. Ridgewood has rail service on NJ Transit’s Main and Bergen County lines, and both run to Hoboken Terminal. The ride takes 34 to 55 minutes to Hoboken and 22 to 43 to Secaucus Junction, and a trip to Penn Station with the Secaucus transfer takes 45 to 72 minutes. Bergen County has no PATH station. Tenafly and Englewood commute by NJ Transit bus, with route 166 running to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and other routes reaching the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.
Cost. A Ridgewood monthly pass to Penn Station costs $362, or $271.40 at three office days a week with a FlexPass. Tenafly and Englewood bus passes are priced by zone.
Best for. Ridgewood suits buyers who can work around a transfer, and Tenafly and Englewood suit buyers who prefer a bus. Our Bergen County community guide covers the county’s commute options town by town.
JBG insight
Bergen County buyers often come to us after first looking at Montclair or Summit: they want the school quality and find the Essex County markets too competitive.
Last stopCommon questions
Frequently Asked Questions About NJ Commuter Towns
Hoboken and Jersey City have the shortest and most frequent commutes, with PATH running around the clock. Montclair, Maplewood, South Orange and Summit offer a one-seat train to Penn Station, and Weehawken and Union City offer Hudson County access by ferry or bus. The right one depends on where in Manhattan you work and how many days you go in.
Live in the town whose line fits your office and your schedule. Choose a PATH town such as Hoboken or Jersey City for Downtown offices and the most frequent service, or a Midtown Direct town such as Montclair, Maplewood or South Orange for offices near Penn Station. Tell us your office address and the days you commute, and we will narrow the list.
Downtown Jersey City has the shortest PATH ride to the World Trade Center, at 4 to 8 minutes, against 11 from Hoboken. Weehawken’s ferry reaches Midtown in under 10 minutes. Door-to-door time depends on how far you walk to the station or landing.
Among the towns in this guide, West New York and Union City had the lowest medians from July through September 2026, at $535,000 and $665,000 in Hudson County MLS data, both on bus lines. For a PATH commute, Journal Square in Jersey City was the lowest-priced station area in our September 2026 report.
PATH is better for frequency and hours, and NJ Transit rail is better for a one-seat ride to Penn Station. Its trains run around the clock and a 30-day pass costs $131.50, while a monthly NJ Transit pass to Penn Station costs $223 to $362 depending on the zone. Midtown Direct trains skip the transfer but run on a line-by-line timetable.
A 30-day PATH pass costs $131.50 as of October 2026, and NJ Transit monthly passes to New York Penn Station cost $223 to $362 depending on the zone, at fares effective July 1, 2026. Bus pass prices depend on the number of zones, so check njtransit.com.
Yes, especially for the towns with longer train rides. NJ Transit’s FlexPass sells 20 one-way tickets at a 15% discount, valid for 30 days. At three office days a week, a FlexPass plus six one-way tickets costs $201.25 from Montclair against $255 for the monthly pass.
Downtown Jersey City has the shorter ride to the World Trade Center, while Hoboken and Newport are tied at 15 minutes to 33rd Street. From July through September 2026, Hoboken’s median sold price was $990,000 against $788,000 citywide in Jersey City, according to Hudson County MLS data. The right choice depends on your office and on which Jersey City neighborhood you compare.
Your line, your town
Thinking About Moving to New Jersey?
Tell us where in Manhattan you work and which days you go in, and we will show you which of these towns put you on the right train, ferry or bus, and what homes there cost now. The Jill Biggs Group is the #1 real estate team in New Jersey by RealTrends Verified 2026 and has worked in Hudson County for more than 20 years. Reach out to our team to start, meet our Hoboken real estate agents, or read our relocation guide for the move to Hoboken or Jersey City.
Call (973) 495-6038 · Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat and Sun 8am to 6pm
The Jill Biggs Group · hardwired for hardwork.
Last Updated: October 2026
Sources: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH weekday timetable effective October 13, 2026, and PATH fares); NJ Transit weekday timetables (Morris & Essex, Raritan Valley and Main/Bergen County lines as of May 31, 2026; Montclair-Boonton Line as of August 30, 2026); NJ Transit fares to New York Penn Station effective July 1, 2026; NJ Transit FlexPass (February 2026); NY Waterway Port Imperial and Hoboken route and fare pages (October 2026); The Jill Biggs Group market reports for September 2026 and community guides; Hudson County MLS (RMLS) closed sales, July 1 to September 30, 2026.
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