Located thirteen miles from New York City is Montclair, NJ, whose name is derived from the French words for “clear mountain.” Living in Montclair has its perks. Often referred to as where the city meets the suburb, and described as one of the coolest suburbs in America, residents of this highly walkable suburb call home to an award-winning public school system, world-class art and music, along with excellent restaurants, the nation’s first countywide park system, and endless things to do.
Montclair has four distinct districts
Residents have no shortage of things to do in Montclair with its four main districts: Montclair Center, Walnut Street, Watchung Plaza, and Upper Montclair. Montclair Center, which stretches across ten blocks, is a popular commercial destination with an eclectic mix of antique shops, art galleries, and bookshops. Residents gravitate to Walnut Street to sample a variety of local eateries like Egan & Sons and Le Salbuen, and there are several Zagat-rated restaurants such as Fascino, Leone’s, and Samba. On Saturday mornings, Walnut Street hosts a farmer’s market, one of the first of its kind in New Jersey, offering a selection of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, fresh cheese, and a pickle bar. Watchung Plaza invites residents to explore trendy local shops while Church Street or the streets of Upper Montclair are the perfect places to spend an afternoon browsing high-end boutiques.
Montclair offers culturally-rich, family-friendly activities
With its thriving arts scene, Montclair boasts a variety of activities to delight the senses and energize the mind. For example, residents can:
•wander the fragrant private gardens and landscaped grounds at Joseph Van Vleck Sr.’s charming Italianate villa, the Van Vleck House & Gardens
•examine over 12,000 art pieces dating from the 18th century to the present in the Montclair Art Museum (MAM)
•explore the life and legacy of baseball legend Yogi Berra at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center
In the spring months, film lovers and aficionados can look forward to a variety of screenings and symposiums during Montclair’s signature film festival. Just before the school year begins, the township organizes its annual jazz festival featuring live performances by world-class artists.
Montclair has several parks and lots of open green space
Montclair possesses over 175 acres of open space and approximately 20 public parks. Favorite spots include Edgemont Memorial Park where children can spend hours traversing a giant web-like playground that includes slides of all shapes and sizes or visit the renowned World War I memorial conceived by Charles Keck in 1924. The park hosts an annual Fourth of July picnic where families unwind and enjoy live musical performances. For spectacular views of the New York City skyline, families can trek the nature trails and footpaths at the nearby Eagle Rock Reservation, and Brookdale Park Dog Park also offers a pleasant retreat for residents and their favorite furry friends.
Montclair, NJ: Employment
- 26.5% Stay at Home Moms vs. 73.5% Working Moms *
- Work in Essex County 43.7%, Work outside NJ 27.4%
- $102,349 Median Household Income
- 26.4% Management, Business and Finance Occupation
- Average Sales Price 2022: $1,050,000
- Average 2021 Tax Bill: $20,320
- Montclair Township
- Montclair Public Schools
- Montclair Community Pre-K
The Commute
Montclair is about 13 miles from New York so your drive time is about 30 minutes via Routes 3 or Route 280. It is serviced by NJ Transit’s Montclair-Boonton Line. There are 6 NJ Transit stations that serve Montclair. Commute times range from 36 minutes-55 minutes. Many residents walk to their neighborhood station. If you would like information on parking for train service, please click here.
Montclair, NJ: NJ Transit Commute to NYC:
- Bay Street
- Walnut Street
- Watchung Avenue
- Upper Montclair
- Mountain Avenue
- Montclair Heights
The DeCamp Bus Line takes commuters directly to New York’s Port Authority. The town is about is about 30 minutes drive to Newark Airport.
The Montclair Schools
The Public School System: The Montclair Public School System is an award-winning district that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is made up of seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school. Each school in the system has a magnet theme which is reflected in the school’s teaching style. Students within the district are free to choose which school they want to attend.
The seven elementary schools and their magnet themes are:
- Bradford Elementary (K-5, The University Magnet – a partnership with Montclair State University)
- Charles H. Bullock Elementary (K-5, Environmental Science)
- Edgemont Montessori (Montessori)
- Hillside Elementary (3-5, Gifted and Talented)
- Nishuane Elementary (K-2, Gifted and Talented)
- Northeast Elementary (K-5, Global Studies)
- Watchung Elementary (K-5, Science and Technology)
The three middle schools and their magnet themes are:
- Glenfield Middle School (6-8, Visual and Performing Arts)
- Buzz Aldrin Middle School (6-8, The STEM Magnet)
- Renaissance @ Rand (6-8, Liberal Arts)
The Montclair High School is an academically challenging high school with a diverse curriculum. More than 25 AP classes are offered. Small learning communities focus on the individual development of each student. These communities are: The Civics and Government Institute, Center for Social Justice, STEM, and The School of Visual and Performing Arts. There are also multiple world language offerings. The high school offers more than 100 clubs and organizations, and more than 30 varsity sports to provide a well-rounded high school experience.
Private and Parochial Schools Near Montclair: There are many excellent private and parochial schools in the area. Some of those options are:
- Delbarton
- The Far Brook School
- Golda Och Academy
- Kent Place School
- Montclair Kimberly Academy
- The Morristown Beard School
- Newark Academy
- Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child
- Oratory Prep
- The Peck School
- The Pingry School
- Saint Peter’s Prep
- Saint Rose of Lima School
- Seton Hall Prep
Preschools Near Montclair: There are also many excellent preschool options in the area. A few of the many options are:
- MMO Programs
- Pilsbury School
- Kidville Montclair
- Park Street Academy
- Montclair Community Pre-K
- Union Congregational Weekday Nursery School
- Building Blocks University
- Montclair Kimberly Academy
- Parkside Montessori School
- Children’s Studio
Unique to Town
- Montclair Art Museum is a charming museum that offers permanent and changing exhibits, concerts and films. It also offers activities for all ages.
- Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center is located on the campus of Montclair State University. While promoting values of respect and sportsmanship, it offers a wide range of programs on all aspects of sports and society. The museum contains artifacts from Yogi Berra’s career as a Yankee.
- Montclair is home to the New Jersey Jackals, a professional minor league baseball team that plays at Yogi Berra Stadium.
- Montclair Hawk Lookout is a stone-filled platform nestled on top of a 500 foot ledge on the First Watchung Mountain. It is a spectacular location for hawk watching as well as for enjoying the magnificent view of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
- Presby Memorial Iris Garden is a non-profit, volunteer-run living museum specializing in iris flowers.
- Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionary In addition to excellent food and famous ice cream sundaes, Holsten’s is a popular tourist destination for fans of “The Sopranos.” It has been immortalized as the scene of the final episode of the TV series.
- Montclair Food and Wine Festival promotes education and appreciation of the culinary arts with food, music and an opportunity to meet a NJ native food star.
- Montclair Jazz Festival is an extraordinary annual all-day music showcase held in Nishuane Park. No tickets required!
Other Useful Links:
- NJ Transit
- NJ Department of Education School Report Cards
- South Mountain Reservation
- United States Census
- WalkScore