Moving to Middletown, NJ

About Middletown

Middletown is Monmouth County's largest township (about 66,500 residents in 2020) and one of New Jersey's oldest European settlements. It combines Bayshore waterfront (Belford, Port Monmouth, Leonardo), inland suburbs, major county parks, and Sandy Hook at its eastern tip. It has repeatedly appeared on "best places to live" lists (CNNMoney/Time, mid-2010s). The township offers three distinct NYC paths: NJCL rail, local buses, and the Belford ferry.

Home prices in Middletown

Home prices in Middletown vary by neighborhood and property type.

Top places in Middletown

• Deep Cut Gardens (54-acre horticultural park)
• Hartshorne Woods Park (trails, bunkers, Navesink views)
• Sandy Hook / Gateway National Recreation Area and Sandy Hook Lighthouse
• Bayshore Waterfront Park (Belford)
• Poricy Park, Thompson Park, Huber Woods Park
• Belford ferry terminal

Commuting from Middletown

• Rail: in-town NJCL station; Middletown–NY Penn typically 1h20–1h35 (Shore Insight Monmouth County guide, June 2025).
• Ferry: NY Waterway operates from Belford/Harbor Way to Midtown (W. 39th St.) in about 50 minutes (Rome2Rio; NY Waterway took over Belford service in September 2026 per the Asbury Park Press, with weekday and weekend schedules). SeaStreak at nearby Highlands is another option.
• Bus: NJ Transit 817/833/834 serve the township.
• Drive: roughly 1 hour to Midtown with no traffic (Rome2Rio showed ~1h4m Belford–Manhattan by car); 1h30+ in peak traffic.
• Sources read: Shore Insight Monmouth County transit guide (June 2025), Rome2Rio Belford–Manhattan, NY Waterway Belford schedule, Asbury Park Press (Aug. 2026) on the NY Waterway takeover, NJ Transit listings.

Middletown FAQs

• What is the housing market like in Middletown, NJ?
  Home prices in Middletown vary by neighborhood and property type.
• How is the commute from Middletown, NJ?
  Rail: in-town NJCL station; Middletown–NY Penn typically 1h20–1h35 (Shore Insight Monmouth County guide, June 2025).

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