New Jersey always seems to be in the shadows of its much popular neighbor, New York. However, this state also has many things to offer to its residents. For example, New Jersey’s public school system is constantly ranked among the best in the entire country. Not mention, New Jersey has more millionaires than most states in the US. For these and many more reasons, you should consider living in New Jersey. However, this is a quite large state so you need to pick one city or town to settle in. Therefore, you should consider choosing Kearny to be your next home and here are all the reasons why. If you end up moving to Kearny, make sure to find the best moving company Kearny NJ for your relocation.
Get to know Kearny
Many residents would describe Kearny as a mix between the suburbs and the city. The reason behind this description is a commercial district surrounded by old-style houses and buildings. Speaking of its location, Kearny is found in the western part of Hudson County. According to the 2010 census, around 40,684 people live in this New Jersey town, but the number is probably higher ten years later. As for its history, the town was named after Civil War general moving company Kearny NJ. He was also the owner of the mansion which was known under the name Belle Grove or “Kearny Caste”. Since Kearny was under the Township of Harrison, General N. M. Halsted organized a campaign for independence. In 1867, General succeeded in creating the Township of Kearny. In addition to this, one part of town is known as the Arlington section because of Arlington Mills of Lawrence.
Choosing Kearny to be your next home – living options
Since Kearny has a long history, then you can already guess what kind of houses you can find there. Near the town center, you have apartment buildings that mostly have three of four stories. In addition to this, there are modest single-family houses and two-family homes. If you are looking for bigger properties, then you should go to the northern part of town. This part is actually the Arlington section that is mentioned above. Apart from this, one part of Bergen Avenue recently has seen some new development as local government is investing in the town. In addition to this, the Vermella Crossing complex and Passaic Avenue are also two interesting parts where you can visit some stores, walk around the riverfront or do outdoor activities in a community park. Lastly, in South Kearny, people use old warehouses for commercial office space.
Costs of living
Even though New Jersey is close to New York, its costs of living are lower. The median household income is $58,698. In addition to this, the median income for one person living alone is $45,360. If you plan to buy a house in Kearny, start preparing your budget. The median price of the 207 houses sold in 2017 is $320,000, which is 10% higher than in 2016. The most expensive house was a renovated 1930s house with four bedrooms which was sold for $749,900. On the low end of the scale, a three-bedroom bungalow was sold for $224,900. The price depends on the location. Some parts of the town are inside Urban Enterprise Zone. This means people receive employment benefits and they get a sales tax reduction. Lastly, if you plan to rent a place, then for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,100 while a four-bedroom apartment is $2,800.
Choose Kearny for its public schools
As mentioned before, New Jersey has one of the best public schools in the entire country. The quality of schools is not any different in Kearny which is extremely important for families moving with children. There are 5,619 students and 441 teachers.
Public schools are:
- Franklin School
- Roosevelt School
- Washington School
- Lincoln Middle School
- Kearny High School
Private schools include:
- Kearny Christian Academy
- Mt. Carmel Guild School
- The Little Neighborhood Learning Center
- Happy Time Preschool & Day Care
In addition to this, average SAT scores are 503 in comparison to the state average of 537. High school students have an opportunity to get credits for university by working or volunteering at the Culinary Institute of America, Hudson County Community College, and DeVry University, Rutgers. Lastly, the Kearny Public Library belongs to New Jersey’s Carnegie libraries. There is a museum inside which organizes exhibitions about the town’s history and culture.
Best neighborhoods in Kearny
Here are the best neighborhoods. You can tell your Jersey City movers to deliver your items to one of these places.
- Arlington – is an urban and sophisticated part of the town. In addition to this, it is a very diverse and culturally awake area.
- Newark Tpke / Harrison Ave – it is close to the river so it has a coastal vibe to it. For this reason, there are shops, cafes, restaurants near the water where you can enjoy the view while shopping or eating.
- Tappan St / Dennis Ave – an older part of the town. Most buildings have a Victorian style.
- Passaic Ave / Belgrove Dr – extremely popular among students. Also, it is quite a culturally diverse part of the town.
- Schuyler Ave / Belleville Tpke – probably the most densely populated place with the Victorian décor.
Choosing Kearny to be your next home – public transport, roads, highways
NJ Transit is responsible for bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan most notably and to the other areas. You can also go to Newark by catching the 1, 30, 40, and 76 routes. In addition to this, the closest airport is Newark Liberty International Airport. Lastly, Kearny has a total of 70.89 miles of roadways which are in acceptable condition. Most residents own a car so if you can, buy yourself one. As you can see, these would be all the pros and cons of living in Kearny, New Jersey. If you believe this is a city for you, do not hesitate to move to this town. Choosing Kearny to be your next home might be perfect for you.