Hoboken

This vibrant, walk-able small town is a unique delight. Its strategic location on the banks of the Hudson River across from lower Manhattan means waterside walkways boast postcard-perfect views from day to night. 

Dubbed the Mile Square City, about 60,000 residents are living in Hoboken, making it decidedly more compact than Jersey City. Because of its relatively small size, Hoboken neighborhoods are loosely defined as Downtown (lower numerical streets) and Uptown (higher numbers) along with the Southwest or Northwest monikers in those growing areas.

Hoboken was where the legendary Frank Sinatra was both born and raised and later served as the backdrop to the Oscar-winning “On the Waterfront” starring Marlon Brando. That old-school charm is still present despite a ton of redevelopment, as cobblestone roads and ghost signs can still be spotted around the city.

The tallest buildings in Hoboken lie along the Hudson River, which sports modern developments plus rehabilitated industrial structures. The city’s western edges indisputably have the most construction these days in this highly walkable city, where the brownstone and rowhouse reign supreme in a more low-rise environment.

Reasons for Moving to Hoboken

Here are five reasons you’ll be thankful you moved to Hoboken.

There’s plenty of things to do

Theatres? Check! Great restaurants? Check! Friendly local bars? Check!

One of the things Hoboken residents like best is that you can take care of all of your needs in pedestrian-friendly uptown and downtown city blocks. Within a single block or two, you can enjoy a perfect cup of coffee, pop into a boutique or two, drop off the dry cleaning and meet your friend for breakfast, lunch or dinner. No need for taxi’s, no need to walk tiresome blocks, no need to give up multiple hours of your day to get things done.

Some of the best things about moving to Hoboken and living there include:

• Great coffee at multiple, locally owned cafes and bakeries
• Really good schools (see below)
• Commute to Manhattan in 30-minutes or less
• Dog-friendly businesses
• Plenty of places to enjoy a nice glass of wine, like Bin 14 Trattoria Wine Bar
• The most bars and restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in the country
• Movies Under the Stars in the summertime
• Endless weekend brunch
• Beautifully tree-lined streets
• Family-friendly art and music festivals
• Every type of fitness establishment – including barres and boot camps – under the sun
• Clean, beautiful train stations
• Living the Hudson riverfront life

These are just a smattering of the reasons why residents of Hoboken are so proud of their city – and why you’ll be thankful you chose it for your new hometown.

Hoboken schools – a curriculum for every child

Another perk of moving to Hoboken? There’s a single school district – and a staggering array of schools to choose from. There’s a school for every student’s (or parent’s) academic goals and extracurricular interests.

The Hoboken Public School District boasts six public schools, serving students in grades K through 12. In addition to integrated programs that serve the general student body, Hoboken’s Public schools have ample support, programs and parent/student resources for students requiring special education. The district also offers a variety of GATE programs to serve and challenge gifted and talented students.

There are also several different charter and private schools for parents to choose from, each of which meets the government’s core standards along with their own, unique academic curricula and cultures.

 Schools in the Hoboken Public School district include:

• Wallace Elementary School
• Thomas G. Connors Elementary School
• Joseph F. Brandt Primary School
• Salvatore L. Calabro Elementary School
• Hoboken Middle School
• Hoboken High School

There are also a few public charter schools in Hoboken. Charter schools are publically funded, meaning they are free to residents, but they have more flexibility in terms of curriculum and gaining outside funding. Charter schools are typically much smaller than public schools (although not always), which allows teachers and administration to focus on more individualized attention for each student.

While donating money isn’t necessary, many charter school ask families to contribute whatever they are able in order to help fund any supplemental art, music and STEM-oriented electives.

Charter schools in and around Hoboken include:

• Hoboken Charter School (a K – 12 school)
• HoLa Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (A Spanish-English language immersion program for K-8)
• Elysian Charter School of Hoboken

Finally, Hoboken offers eight different private schools, serving just shy of 1500 students. Private school tuitions allow faculty and staff to offer very diverse and specialized curriculum as well as extracurricular activities that might not be available at a public school campus.

Hoboken’s private schools are:

• All Saints Episcopal Day School (Nursery school and K – 8, with a non-denominational Christian-influenced education)
• Apple Montessori Schools (preschool and Kindergarten)
• Hoboken Catholic Academy (K – 8)
• Mustard Seed School (Pre-K – 8 – Christian/Faith-based)
• Stevens Cooperative School (K – 8 – STEAM curriculum, focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics)
• Tessa International School (Pre-school and Kinder – French-English immersion school)
• The Hudson School (5 -12)

The Hoboken Family Alliance hosts an All-Schools Open House each year in October. This event offers prospective and current Hoboken residents a chance to learn more about the area’s schools – including public, charter and private options.

Hoboken residents’ favortie things to do

Hoboken’s just-right nightlife

Residents of Hoboken are proud of the city’s just-right nightlife. It’s not the crazy, all-night party scene of the city (although you can certainly find that if it interests you). Rather, Hoboken offers taverns, pubs upscale cocktail venues and dance clubs dedicated to those who enjoy a night out without the pressure – or price tags – associated with larger area cities. Hoboken’s common nightlife tagline is, “where status does matter,” and that’s something to celebrate.

That being said, uptown Hoboken offers a plethora of bars, dance clubs, and music venues – all within walking distance from one another. Together, they create a nightlife environment that is as satisfying for college and post-grad students as it is for parents and retirees who are enjoying a sophisticated night out.

Cost of living in Hoboken – quality versus quantity

A flood of families moving to Hoboken means that property values are on par or can be slightly more expensive than those in many Jersey City neighborhoods. On the flip side, Hoboken’s homes, townhouses, and apartments are notably more affordable than properties in NYC. The good news is that property values are steady and real estate experts expect those prices to increase over time due to increased interest in the area. Most upwardly-mobile professionals find it makes more financial sense to invest in Hoboken real estate as a homeowner than it does to pay the high, rental rates of NYC.

That being said, the cost of living in terms of goods and services is equal to or more affordable when compared with other, larger cities. In circumstances where the cost of living is relatively equivalent, fans of Hoboken feel the quality of life makes it well worth it. In fact, quality of life is often cited as one of the best things about moving to Hoboken when compared with its larger, city counterparts.

Hoboken Public Transportation

Hoboken is served by a PATH station underneath the historic Hoboken Terminal, which also houses ferry service to Manhattan from NY Waterway alongside NJ Transit bus and rail service. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail has a station in the terminal plus two more Hoboken stops along the city’s west side.

The 126 line on NJ Transit provides bus service along both Washington and Clinton Streets to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal. A pier on 14th Street provides additional NY Waterway ferry service, while the city-operated HOP bus runs several routes to points within Hoboken.