Morris County has been a place that people proudly call home since 1738. Though it began as a very small community, it now thrives as the home to nearly half a million residents spread out throughout the county. Many of these residents are young professionals, families, and even students in several local colleges and universities. In other words, it is the kind of place that welcomes all and encourages people no matter where they are in life or where they are headed.
According to data from the U.S. Census, Morris County, NJ has the third-highest median household income of any county in the country. They come in at a whopping $77,340 as the median household income at the last census (2020). This means that the county has plenty of well-to-do people and a bounty of tax revenues that it collects and invests back into the community.
This is all very good news for anyone that might want to look at Morris County houses for sale, but the news just gets better the more you learn about the area.
Superb schools
The school system in Morris County is the envy of the nation. A total of 42 school districts and more than 100 schools serve this large community. Many of those schools have received a grade of either A or A+ from the New Jersey Department of Education based on their performance. The West Morris and Mountain Lakes communities are worth checking out because their high schools, in particular, are top-notch and constantly producing students who go on to do incredible things for the world.
Clearly, all parents want the very best headstart for their children from an educational point of view, and Morris County certainly has what it takes to provide that to them.
Enjoy the great outdoors
Do you love the great outdoors and all that it has to offer? If so, then Morris County is the right place for you. There are countless outdoor activities that you can get into on a sunny weekend. A few local favorites include:
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Mine Hill Beach - This beach is open both to residents and non-residents of the area and offers activities ranging from Volleyball to pedal boats. You can take advantage of the free parking available at this beach and enjoy the bright sun, the warm sand, and the sound of crashing waves as you relax away your tension from a hard week at work.
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Cranberry Lake - Unfortunately, this is not a lake full of actual cranberries, but it is still a wonderful place to visit regardless! You can get away from it all when you visit this location. It is one of the largest remote lakes in the country, so you will have no trouble finding the peace and solitude you desire. There are campsites around the area if you choose to do that, or you may simply want to go out to the fishing piers for a while to get away and enjoy the chance to catch a fish or two.
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Hacklebarney State Park - What is not to love about a scenic hike through the wilderness at a state park? People have their own personal feelings about if they enjoy hiking or not, but it is exactly the kind of activity that some people love to do. Hacklebarney State Park is a great place for this type of outdoor exercise because there are plenty of trails to choose from.
After hearing all of this, doesn't Morris County, NJ sound like heaven on Earth? That is what many people feel like, and that is why Morris County, NJ homes are so wildly popular with a growing number of people.
A better deal than some urbanized areas
Although home values have increased about 9% in the past year, living in the Morris County area is still relatively cheaper than building or buying a home in nearby urban environments, such as Philadelphia and New York City. The median home value is approximately $486,000, but you also can find good deals on older homes that are perfect for remodeling and turning into your forever home.
The value of these homes is still considerable, but they aren't often as highly priced as a home directly in the heart of Philadelphia or New York City. Thus, you may discover that you can save a considerable amount of money by shopping for a home in the Morris County, NJ area as compared to what you might get out of some of those larger cities. This is important to remember when you are trying to determine your next move. Perhaps you end up going with a home in the Morris County area instead of the big city because you ultimately realize that you are priced out of those markets. At least you will still get to enjoy the numerous upsides that come with living in Morris County!
Suburbs with their own sense of pride
Communities within a county that have their own unique identity and sense of pride are a wonderful thing. These communities are often found in small towns and rural areas, but they also exist in Morris County, NJ.
The various suburbs you encounter throughout this county are welcoming of outsiders, but they also have their own distinct community pride that you should note and respect. What you are likely to discover is that certain communities within Morris County sit best with you overall. In other words, you will likely find a suburb that just seems to make sense for you to move into based on how the suburb is laid out and how the people in the area act.
Madison, Mountain Lakes, and Chatham are three distinct suburbs in Morris County that are all ranked quite high on lists of the best neighborhoods in the country to live in. They all exist within the same county, but they all have their own feel to them. You should try to get out to each of these communities and see if one, in particular, speaks to you. You may have just discovered your new home.
You are never far from bigger cities
People often work in the big cities, and that leads some to wonder if there is something that they can do to make living in Morris County, NJ also work with the fact that they are going to need to commute to those large cities. There is good news on that front, and it is that the big cities are never far away when you live in Morris County, NJ.
New York City is only about a 90-minute commute away. Meanwhile, Philadelphia will take you about 2 hours to get to. That might be a bit on the lengthy side for commuters that have to go into the office five days a week, but many jobs are moving to a full-time work-from-home setup or at least a hybrid schedule of some kind. If you feel like this commute might be a bit too long for you to make it into the office every day, perhaps you can speak with your boss about switching to a hybrid schedule.
There are a lot of decisions to be made when you think about where you want to live and why. We believe that Morris County, NJ should be on the map for you as an excellent place to spend some time yourself and perhaps raise your family. The more you look into this place, the more it starts to grow on you, and that is why it consistently ranks near the top of lists of places to buy a home.
If you believe that Morris County, NJ might be right for you, please visit us at Jennifer Pickett Real Estate to discuss your options and figure out how we can help get you into the home of your dreams in this beautiful part of the country. We have assisted many others in doing exactly that, and we have plenty of listings on the market right now that are ready to go!