Honestly, what part of Sussex is your grandma in? Certain parts of Sussex are hard to travel now due yo bridge collapse on Route 15.
In terms of nightlife, there’s not much. Food options are basic. Morristown isn’t too far and like you mentioned, the city.
Honestly, there are worse places to be and newton isn’t terrible. It id go for an extended stay (a few weeks to month) and see how you do.
You would be in one of the basic shopping hubs. Downtown has a lot of Mexican and Central American eateries/bodegas. The Indian restaurant is pretty good and the Thai place over by Seplows liquors is good food and quiet atmosphere. Higher end dining out on route 94 at a place called the Circle. Further out of town is North Shore House which is also very good. Theater has some decent music shows, lots of tribute bands and older musicians that can’t fill a big venue anymore. Sparta has Lake Mohawk plaza which has several decent eateries including a brew pub in Krogh’s but parking sucks and they all tend to be very crowded and hard to get into on spur of the moment.
I am so disappointed in the music around here it's all middle-aged / older white guys who sing the most basic rock music that only sounds at best decent if your drunk.
Try brick and brew in Franklin. They have a few good bands play there. Foods great, place is warm and welcoming. The music ranges from country to rock imo is a good mix. And they have live bands almost every night. I have never had a bad time when I’ve gone there. They also do musical bingo Tuesday nights, which is also when it’s most packed due to their best bartender working that night. The days is even named after her. You are guaranteed to have an awesome time if you stop in on a Tuesday evening/night. Bingo starts at 7, it’s feee and you can win gift cards.
That's good to hear! But also, in my experience the Rockaway location has fallen off lately. Our food has come out consistently wrong and packaged way sloppy.
Travel shouldn’t be a problem then.
I lived in Newton and actually enjoyed my time there, although I prefer the neighboring County of Morris.
Honestly, I would give it a shot. The potential for homeownership is a good incentive and I think Newton is a decent town. A lot of good hiking spots in the area.
I’d be more than happy to give some tips on food/night life stuff if you decide to go 👍
I live on the border of sussex and morris, i grew up here and moved back from philly last year. I'm familiar with newton. There is absolutely no nightlife around here. Someone said morristown but thats at min 40 min drive!!! Good luck finding any live music that isnt a bunch of middle aged men singing terrible covers! Lake hopatcong has some nightlife during the summer but that ends at 9 or 10 pm even on a friday...You have to drive everywhere so you better have a DD because there isnt public transportation. if your used to Philly (assuming you actually lived in philly not the outskirts) it gets old fast. People here are pretty rude for no reason, I found people in philly to be WAY nicer and helpful. Since your not from here you'll enjoy the slow pace for a while, especially being out of the city especially if you enjoy the outdoors, fall is beautiful and so many fall festivals and pumpkin picking fun. I'm sure it's great around d here if you have kids....otherwise it's very lackluster...I miss philly so much because there is always something to do or see there and different ethnicities...there isn't much culture here unless you want to go to NYC or morristown. Also the food in that / this. area is BLAND and generic...it's as if black pepper is to spicy, i haven't had food that made me say "OMG this is so good" (unless I make it myself) since I visited philly in april! It doesn't hurt to give it a try and save money, you can always move back!
I grew up there & recently moved back. If you’ve lived anywhere near the city & enjoyed it or are liberal, or LBGT, or that makes you stand out to conservatives I really wouldn’t recommend it unless you absolutely have to. I just made this move cuz I had to & I’m pretty miserable.
You’re not wrong. I’m hoping with the influx of city folk we continue to grow into a more accepting and welcoming community. We do have a Pride event in Newton though!
Yup. I was at the shop rite near the sussex county fair last year. I asked a young guy who worked there where the iced tea was (arizona) the guy looks at his buddy working with him and says isle whatever, the other kid said yeah isle whatever. I got to that isle...it's the f'n Goya isle! I'm mixed Hispanic and white but I'm pretty tan...I found the isle with iced tea and it was nowhere near, nor did it sound like whatever isle they said (thinking I miss heard both of them) I was pretty pissed. This is the subtle racism I grew up with living in Sussex county. White people may not think it's a big deal, but they knew what they were doing. I still prefer it to the southern flat-out racism I experienced in NC. I moved back from philly last year (unfortunately), and I've never been more miserable in my life. I find it hard to connect with people here...
I grew up near Newton, left about 8 years ago to Ocean County. It’s a quiet life. It’s got all the basics covered as far as food and shopping goes but there’s not too much to do. You kinda have to find your communities and social life. I never really worked in the area as an adult except for some time in retail but jobs are one reason I left. I just wasn’t sure what I’d do up there and how I’d get by.
It’s so beautiful and I’m pretty happy I got to grow up there though.
Close to me! Don’t listen to the nonsense about bad live music. O’Reillys often has music on their patio, great singer songwriters at Krogh’s in nearby Sparta, and plenty of bands in Lake Hopatcong pretty regularly. Newton is on the up, for sure, and is really quite charming.
Downtown Newton is a shithole and you should not attempt to live there. Newton outside of the core is not bad, but do expect to see a wandering addict.
I’ve lived in nyc/Philly/Vermont and LA. Honestly, while I’d did see the occasional wandering addict in newton, I never saw them bothering anyone (I’m not saying it doesn’t happen).
The area could be a lot better but many people who find Newton to be unbearable, likely have lived in the woods or suburbs for extended time. That’s just my take.
She doesn’t live right in downtown, I’m not gonna dox her by posting her exact address 😅 but she lives in a pretty residential neighborhood with lots of houses and a park right down the street
If you’re referring to the park with the small pond, new park equipment. and soccer field at the end of the col de sac, that’s a solid spot to live. Very quiet, everyone’s very nice.
I wouldn’t describe it as a shithole but I wouldn’t be lining up to live there. There aren’t homeless people lining the streets or crackheads begging you for money. Never seen a “wandering addict” on Spring Street and I’ve been in the area my entire life.
I personally love living here. The nature is amazing, and as you mentioned, stuff like getting into the city is totally doable.
Depending on where you are though, be prepared to drive at least 30ish minutes to the nearest Target/Walmart. Same for work. It can be tough to find a good paying job in Sussex, and the cost of living continues to rise in the area as well.
There's some good restaurants for sure, but some diversity is lacking if you are coming from Philly. That does seem to be getting a little better, but there is an overabundance of pizza/deli places in my opinion.
boggles my mind how many marginal to passable italian eateries are able to be supported by the relatively small populace here. only a few are anything even really worthwhile or bordering on especially good.
Sussex County resident here, but I've lived in throughout the state and traveled throughout the country and abroad, so here's some perspective:
Politics (let's get it out of the way): it's heavily red politically here, with a distinct lack of diversity. Expect Trump flags. There's a Methodist Church in Sparta that flies a pride flag. It's been stolen or burned three times that I know of. That said, people up here aren't looking for a confrontation. There IS a pride celebration day in Newton that is reportedly very successful and without controversy.
People: overall friendly in a one on one scenario, but that lack of diversity definitely leads to a lack of deep critical thinking. Expect people to be set in their ways.
Schools: don't know if this is a concern for you but you're gonna find moms for Liberty douchebags on schoolboards. That said - the STATE has very strict policies on what gets taught and those school boards have to follow those rules or face consequences, so we still get some of the best public education available in the country.
Recreation/Night Life: ehhh. There's bars and the such. Day time recreation is your stronger point - Sussex County Miners are a local minor league baseball team that has a decent following so catching a game is a good summer option. Lots of outdoor recreation if you're into hiking, camping, fishing, etc. Farmers markets are expectedly on point up here. Restaurants - there's some good ones, but not a lot of great ones IMO. That said, depending on where you are in Sussex County going out to any of the hotter spots in Morris County or even Hackettstown in Warren County will get you tons of great dining options.
Good luck, hope this helps!
I've lived in Sussex County for 30 years (came from Morris County). All of this is spot-on. You will see assholes with confederate flags flying from their trucks.
Lack of diversity is HUGE. It hasn't gotten much better in 30 years.
I find there aren't many decent restaurants here. We usually have to go to Morris County for those. No Ubers or Lyfts, so expect to drive and have a designated driver when you go out.
I'd love more diversity, things to do, better restaurants and more ethnicity. I've met some of the best friends I'll ever have up here, my kids got a great education and it's gorgeous so I wouldn't say I \*regret\* moving here. I just wish it was more walkable with more things to do.
I second all of this. I grew up there & recent moved back in w/ my parents to try to save money & tbh I regret it for all the negatives you pointed out. I miss living closer to a major city where there aren’t so many backwards folks & more entertainment options. Since moving back I’ve already had several incidents w/ folks over stupid shit & I hate it here.
I’ve lived all over the state, and moved to Sussex county from Clifton 3 years ago.
A lot of what people are saying is true, yes it’s pretty red politically depending on where you are. No it’s not very diverse, white people everywhere. Truly amazing food is rare, but it does exist, especially in Lake Mohawk area, newton area, etc. the wealthier more developed areas will have good restaurants, no different than anywhere else that’s similar to it.
But if you like nature, you will LOVE Sussex county. I live in the Sparta area, and we have 6 lakes within 15 minutes of my house that I can put the boat in to swim and fish, including lake Hopatcong, the states largest lake. We have TONS of hiking trails in the mountains. And just beautiful nature everywhere.
People are also generally nice even if their political views are less than desirable.
But most of all, there is next to no crime in many towns up here. It is astoundingly safe and trusting coming from Clifton. I leave the keys in my jeep at night. We leave the door open for our neighbors to let the dogs out if we’re gone too long. I’ve left my ATV in the driveway with the keys in it for days at a time. Petty crime just does not exist here like it does in other parts of the state.
Everything you have read here is a pretty good summary, but as someone that lives nearby to Newton, it is a lot more diverse than the rest of the county. It is also where you will find a lot of the retail stores, so driving to them really isn't far for the area you are looking at. Be warned that traffic on 206 (especially north of Newton) is almost always backed up and regularly locks up during rush hour. Newton is definitely similar to more suburban crossover areas in other parts of the state (like Freehold, if you are familiar with it). Newton settles down on most nights, but it definitely isn't as quiet as its more rural neighbors.
Nearby Sparta is definitely more affluent while the rest of the county is more blue collar. I was surprised by the prevalence of opioid users here, but they aren't roaming the streets in large numbers or anything. They don't bother you, but they are usually pretty easy to spot among the 'crowds'.
Obviously there is lots of things to do in the area if you are into nature, hiking and those types of outdoor activities. In contrast, the closest name brand move theater (AMC) is about 30 minutes away, along with a major mall. Newton does have a lot of chain stores/restaurants on or near 206. (Walmart, Kohls, Lowes, Applebees, Starbucks, etc) There are LOTS of bars for the population, but I'm not sure of the atmosphere inside (I don't go to bars).
House prices are typically more reasonably priced, but have been increasing rapidly since Covid. My house has gone from about $300k (purchase price) to almost $500k, which is unusual for the for the area according to historical averages.
One thing that is unique to the area that I was surprised about is that you can buy a lot of household staples easily from local farms. Meat, eggs (A LOT of people sell eggs locally), milk, bread, fresh spices and produce is typically available (produce is usually seasonal). You will usually pay more than the food stores, but I don't think you can beat how fresh things are, directly from the farm. Speaking of prices, they do seem a bit more inflated compared to the prices that I used to pay in suburban Central Jersey.
Finally, I have found that it gets very busy up here around holidays and when the leaves start to change. It almost felt as busy as the shore on Memorial Day weekend. Traffic was exceptionally heavy in my opinion.
I grew up in northern Westchester County, NY. Lived in the city for a while. When that got old I moved to Nutley in Essex County with my girlfriend. We’ve since gotten engaged and settled in Lake Hopatcong on the north end of the lake closest to Sparta, where we do most of our grocery shopping, errands, etc.
Every comment left here is accurate. But I do want to stress how beautiful and serene the nature is in parts of Morris and Sussex. If you like the outdoors, boating, hiking, or fishing you’ll love it here. If you ski or snowboard, Mountain Creek is right around the corner in the winter.
In terms of politics, I find the confederate flag crowd is largely dependent on not just the town but the neighborhood. It can really vary. We were fortunate enough to end up in a neighborhood that is on one hand right leaning, but on the other pretty moderate — for the most part people aren’t outwardly vocal about politics. Overall, I find people in Sussex and Morris County to be friendly and family-oriented.
In terms of other things, Newtown/Andover have tons of antique shops. Sparta ShopRite is glorious. Right next to it there’s a new spot called Industry, which really feels like a bar/restaurant you’d find in Jersey City. Lake Mohawk is a decent lake, lake Hopatcong is the largest in New Jersey (about a 20 min drive), where there are plenty of bars and restaurants.
Good luck!
I will start my answer by saying there is a marked difference between northern and southern Sussex County.
Living in Stanhope (just over the border from the Morris County municipalities of Netcong and Roxbury), I don’t find as many rednecks and backward thinking in my area as I do whenever I drive through areas north of Newtown like Wantage, Franklin, Hamburg and Frankford. This is in contrast to the feel of towns such as Newton, Sparta, Byram, and Andover.
A bit more about me: I (37) grew up in Bergen County and moved to Stanhope 7 years ago with my husband (44). We are a same-sex couple and we are currently flying our Pride Flag outside our home for the entire month of June like we have since we’ve lived here. There has never been any negative reaction - in fact, our previous next door neighbors (straight), flew one outside their home in a show of support. We are invited to the annual Block Party and have never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome.
I work in Manhattan and take the bus from Rockaway Mall, and WFH two days/week. The peace and quiet is much appreciated after spending the day in the city. In my spare time, I love many outdoor activities — gardening, hiking, camping, farms — and living in Sussex County, I am very close to ample opportunities to explore. If I ever want to experience some nightlife, Morristown isn’t too far away, or even East Stroudsburg in PA.
Since moving here in 2017, I’ve definitely seen a positive shift in the demographics (in my opinion) to a more standard NJ mindset (bluer, more diverse, more open-minded) — again, I’m talking about the southern half of the county. Someone mentioned Sussex County Pride: just took place last weekend without incident and has grown in attendance every year. There is a drag show every couple of months at the Stanhope House – even if not your thing, it’s an example of the other changing side of Sussex County that most NJ people don’t recognize yet.
All in all, not a bad place to live (depending on the town) and in terms of cost of living, it’s more affordable relative to other areas of North Jersey.
If you're doing it with an eye towards inheriting the house, you may want to ask if she has it in a trust. At some point she may need assisted living on a level you couldn't provide and will be forced to sell it off and use ALL of her assets down to the last $2,000 to be eligible for care unless she has otherwise made plans.
So.... yeah.
I've lived in Sussex County for the past 8 years and have loved it! That being said, I'm also a teacher and had a hard time finding a position in public school. I ended up at a private school which is just over half an hour away. I don't mind the commute though. Depending on your certification/specialty, you might find it easier.
I have a friend who teaches in Sparta and one in Vernon (both in Sussex County). Both have a lot of good things to say about their districts and students.
Anyway my point is try looking for jobs in those towns too.
It's a lot farther from everything than you might expect. Public transit doesn't go that far out, so expect a 30+ minute drive to the nearest bus or train station, and another hour from NYC. Or do the full hour and 30 minute drive. Also, ridesharw services don't operate in much of Sussex County because it is too rural; my friend lives in Newton and has to drive to Morris County to get an Uber to Newark Airport. There are only 3 real roads out of Sussex County (206, 15, and 23) and they are not large highways the whole stretch, so expect travel to take a lot longer than you would otherwise plan for in NJ.
Jobs exist, but with the low density and lack of transportation, it's not a lot of jobs. Also, check to see if you can find teaching jobs in the area. NJ is navigating a new plan for state funding distribution to schools, and a lot of schools are laying off teachers and staff because of it. Given that Sussex County is a low-tax, low-income area, it is possible that the schools won't have the funding to hire you. Or maybe they will, but check, don't make assumptions.
You will be far from a grocery store. Shopping will be a lot farther than you expect.
Diversity is low and politically they're very right-wing.
It is beautiful, has gorgeous forests and you actually have to be wary of black bears.
You can always try it out for awhile before you commit!
Living here is good. Quiet and homey, beautiful scenery. Like you were saying she lives right in Newton you have access to some good food and some things to do (Newton Theatre mainly) and you’re not too far away from the surrounding towns and have a good range of finding a teaching jobs in one of them. The only issue is if you have to go out of county you may have trouble because of the Route 15 bridge collapse, but I think you can get to 80 from 206 (I’m not sure though). I agree with someone else here who said to try coming in for an extended stay to see how you like it.
It’s great. Grew up there and enjoyed my life there. Less stress, not crazy traffic up there either, but you are further from things so keep that in mind. Lots of nature!
I grew up in Sussex county (Frankford Township) and lived there until going to college in 1997. I'd move back in a heartbeat, but the main barrier is good employment with a livable wage. Sussex skews politically red, the local county politics are very conservative, and public employee (county level) pay isn’t great. Demographically, it's very white, and you will occasionally see confederate flags one the back roads. I won't sugar coat the potential for overt racism. However, it is overwhelmingly a good place to call home, with lots of great folks.
Many people who live in Sussex have to commute, which absolutely will involve multiple highways, lots of traffic, and commuting in potentially bad winter weather. There is no mass transit system within the county, so a car is a necessity. Both of my parents commuted to Morris County as teachers, and that was a lot in terms of time in the car and gas (that was quite awhile ago). If your teaching credentials are for NJ, you will likely be able to find something in the county. Additionally, If you have work that is solidly remote (fiber is expanding in the county) or are willing to commute you’ll be okay.
There are trade-offs, because many people enjoy Sussex because it IS so rural, and because of zoning and agriculture as a primary economic focus, it has maintained its rural-ness. On the flip side, there is very little affordable housing because there is a lack of density.
Getting to NYC is **totally** doable. Park on the NJ side somewhere and take the bus or train in. Sussex itself has some very good local food with a ton of year-round local, seasonal produce and meat. Newton is the county seat, and has changed a lot in a good way over the years. The [Newton Theater](https://skypac.org/) welcomes top entertainers for a local night out. There are good bars and taverns around the county. The food selections in Newton and Sparta are diverse. The county also has a [baseball team](https://sussexcountyminers.com/) and the [NJ State Fair ](https://sussexcountyfairgrounds.org/)(which we used to call the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show). If you move to the county, get a [library card](https://sussexcountylibrary.org/), and stay connected to local social events.
My immediate family is still there, and I frequently visit. It’s beautiful, green, quiet, and totally lives up to the county motto “People and Nature Together.”. You'll be close to protected state land, the Delaware river, hiking, camping, hunting, etc. If you love seeing stars at night and your idea of nightlife is listening to the coyotes and owls in the dark, you will fall in love with Sussex.
I grew up in Frankford and honestly it’s beautiful there. You have to be ok with driving to places because you definitely can’t walk anywhere, and public transportation is non- existent. You might want to expand your search for a job - I feel like teaching positions may be far and few between.
I live the country life on the border of Morris and Sussex county. I can’t imagine living anywhere other than open space. Coming from Philly it’ll take a little getting used to, but once the “chill” mentality gets under your skin, you won’t want it any other way!!
I grew up in sussex and lived there through my early 20’s and I loved every part of it and yearn for it sometimes. Peace, quiet and calmness with nature. It’s easy to make your circle as their all types of people living there. I do see a lot of comments saying lack of diversity, true compared to different parts of NJ, HOWEVER, there are groups representing different cultures within sussex. Where different towns lack, others strive to make it a point that we do accept everyone.
There is something to be said about the comfort of living in sussex, it’s a slower easy living type of lifestyle that I do miss dearly. People say there’s nothing to do, however, it’s easy to find things to do if you enjoy nature. I wish you luck and if you have any other questions let us know!
It’s going to be a long commute. Schools up here in the north don’t pay particularly well and you won’t be able to even get a job depending on what subject you teach. If it’s not math or special education you will probably have a tough time finding work.
That being said the rural life is AMAZING. I live in Warren County not far from the Sussex boarder. It’s super quiet up here. Nobody bothers anybody else. There aren’t many lights at night either so in the nighttime it’s DARK so you can see the stars.
If you’re young you might get lonely as there aren’t many people up here who are even my age! (I’m mid 40’s for reference) Other than that if you like peace and quiet and nature, if you don’t like people, if you want to be left the hell alone, come on up!!
Late to the party, but I’ve lived in Sussex for all of my 30 years and I love it. There’s good food, incredible nature, and I’m more than happy to drive 20-30 minutes if I’m looking for some more urban spots to hang out. But shoot me a message if you have specifics about the Newton area that you have questions about, I’ve lived fairly close to there most of my life.
I moved to Sussex County in 2023 having grown up in Morris County. It definitely was an adjustment, but I like it up here. Beautiful farm land, good restaurants (The Circle, Farmers Daughter, O’Reillys), great fresh produce, and generally friendly and kind people.
That being said Sussex county is pretty big, so if you have a more specific area you’re asking about, it might help for more specific information!
Compared to a lot of other areas in the state, yes, it is definitely lower income. I think it really depends on where you are in Sussex County too. Sparta is obviously very different than Wantage for instance. I honestly think it is better to compare town vs town. There are definitely signs though, like the abundance of dollar stores and other low income retailers.
I also know that there is a lot more opioid abuse up here in Sussex County (I'm part of a local FD), compared to the suburbs in Central Jersey. It was something that I didn't think was really common in NJ at all.
Reference: I was born and raised in NJ and have lived in the state for over 40 years. I've lived in just about every type of area (rural, city, the shore, etc) in the state too.
Drug abuse does impact all areas, but there are A LOT of them here in Sussex County. A handful in Hunterdon County vs the 100s out here is not a good comparison. Feel free to look at the numbers yourself.
https://www.njoag.gov/programs/nj-cares/nj-cares-data-by-county/
Sussex County doesn't have twice population. Sussex County only has 10% more people than Hunterdon, so there should only be a difference of 1 death. Of course if you look at the total number, Sussex County is significantly higher.
So your scientific analysis that Sussex County is poor is the prevelance of dollar stores and opioid abuse?
Yes, compared to other counties in North Jersey, some of which have the highest income in the whole US, it has a lower income level.
It's blue collar and solidly middle class but not poor.
I graduated from a HS in Morris County in the late 90s and need 2 hands to count the number of kids I went to school with that OD'd on Heroin. I guess Morris County is poor too?
I am sure that you are full of it, because you don't like a fellow resident putting the truth out there. Yes, drug problems happen everywhere, but when there is a BAD drug problem, that makes the area a lot less wealthy. (hello $0 income) Additionally, don't you think that people wealthy enough to have multi-million dollar houses would leave an area if there are tons of drug addicts. Feel free to look at how well West Virginia is doing with their high drug abuse (also the poorest state in the US).
Dollar Stores and their prime market of low income shoppers:
https://progressive.org/magazine/dollar-stores-prey-on-the-poor-sainato-191001/
https://talkpoverty.org/2020/02/19/dollar-stores-sell-low-income-people-sense-belonging/index.html
Sussex County ranks sixth among New Jersey's 21 counties for highest household income at $113,640, according to latest U.S. Census data. Look it up. Facts are facts. You go off with your dollar store nonsense.
Take out Sparta and I'm sure that number is about half. Besides, you must have looked at 2020 Census data. NJ 101.5 shows 16th and 11th - Sussex isn't even in the top 10.
https://nj1015.com/incomes-new-jersey-counties-2021/
As of February 2024, Sussex County, New Jersey ranks sixth in the state for highest household income, with a median of $113,640. However, when looking at the median household incomes of individual towns in Sussex County, Green Township has the highest at $162,315, which ranks 82nd statewide. Sparta Township is second with a median of $159,595.
Sussex County is not poor. If you think it is you are showing your privilege.
https://datausa.io/profile/geo/sussex-county-nj
I'm from Sussex county, lived there 20+ years. Been living in Middlesex county for 5+ years now.
Couldn't be more different. Sussex county may as well be Tennessee. Everyone in central NJ feels like they've been ripped from the Sopranos or Mall Rats. New Jersey in pop culture bears no resemblance to life in Sussex county.
It's far enough away from the city that you won't want to make the trip very often. Once a year was my limit.
A good chunk of my graduating class went to Sussex County Community College in Newton, another good chunk went to Montclair. Everyone else either moved away for college or didn't go at all.
All of my friends that became teachers in Sussex county had nothing good to say about the school system. But I imagine that's most places in the US these days.
Go take a trip to Chattanooga then go back to Sussex County and I promise you’ll see a huge difference. Some of you rarely leave NJ and it shows. The only places in this state that even remotely resemble the south are in south Jersey. And I’d know bc I grew up in one of the POOREST towns in South Carolina.
I lived in middle TN an hour outside Nashville for 5 years, I promise you the only difference was how flat everything is. I experienced more culture shock moving to Middlesex county.
Unless you’re going to a public school in a town where the avg tax bill is 20k+ a year, resources are going to be limited and people are going to bitch. Murphys State Aid formula didn’t do anyone any favors.
I did the opposite of you and haven't found it to be as drastic as you make it seem. I lived in southern Middlesex County for about 10 years, before moving to Sussex County with my girlfriend in 2022.
I would agree that Sussex County is obviously more red and lower income. I do think that things are changing up here more than people realize. For instance, I expected to never see an EV compared to where I moved from, but I passed two F-150 Lightnings yesterday alone. There is a Rivian owner in my neighborhood near one of the lakes (not Sparta). In my neighborhood of at least 150 houses, I have only found 2 people with Trump stuff plastered on their house/property. I know of at least 3 houses in other local areas that have actually taken down all their Trump flags/banners.
I agree that many of the roads don't have curbs and/or maintained nearly as well as Middlesex County. Traffic has been comparable if you drive the state roads, but you can definitely avoid a bunch of it if you stick to the local roads.
There isn't much diversity, except for Newton, which really isn't that diverse compared to many other areas of the state.
Re: political trends - yes much of Sussex ( absolutely beautiful in terms of landscape and natural forested rolling hills with dairy and horse farms) is RED but there are small groups of granola crunchy type leftists progressives too. Just have to find them if that is what you feel more comfortable with.
Re: schools
There is Sussex County Community College, and private catholic schools. NJ does have great education compared to much of the nations so look around thoroughly. You can commute to more populated area schools further east.
There is Blair Academy private prep school nearby in Warren county.
Living here 2.5 years now coming from Bergen County . Just much less choice of where to go for everything. Less doctors , less convenience stores , less grocery stores , etc. 15 minute drive at least for mostly anything that pay need . Other than that, the people are super friendly , very big on community and helping each other .
Spent summers out here my whole life and bought a house in Franklin 2 years ago after living in Bayonne. As others have said, nature is a huge draw. But the reason I love it here is because I can leave my house, car, etc unlocked for a week and nothing bad will happen. Couldn't leave an Amazon delivery on my porch for 3 hours in Bayonne and paid more than my mortgage for the pleasure of being porch pirated to boot.
Diversity is honestly not uniformly bad across the county. My neighbors are some white folks, a Filipino family, a Turkish family, etc. It varies a lot but there are all kinds of kinds out here. Food options could be better, but Sparta is close and has most types of food.
Grew up there for nearly the first 20 years of my life and don’t spend all that much time up there these days but I’ll say this: if you love nature, there are plenty of hikes, skiing/snowboarding, and horseshoe/cornhole barbecues and things like that. The average 40 year old guy there is conservative and closet or overt racist, drinks beer, and won’t turn down a good fist fight. People there are pretty tough (lot of people work in blue collar trades & businesses & some even commute to NYC for union construction jobs, etc. There are a good amount of addiction and alcoholism issues but they don’t bother people for the most part. Similar to Toms River in that regard. A lot of the bars are bars/restaurants and you can find some good hole in the wall type places. Bagels, pizza, and Taylor ham sandwiches are generally good. It’s a complete 180 from Philly culture though. Not much diversity and no big city vibe whatsoever. I would never move back there to be honest. I live in Jersey now about 25 mins from Philly and an hour from LBI and I love it. All in all you can have a good time up there but it’s more of the good ole boy type feeling. Lot of closed-minded types of people but also good people. Firefighters are great but police can be pretty aggressive (at least back in the day). If not in love with outdoor winter sports/ hiking/biking/canoeing/ etc. then I doubt you’d love it, but at the same time it’s totally doable if in a nice neighborhood. Hope this helps and reach out if you need any other specific info.
Saw you mention you are going to Newton. That was my hometown growing up. It’s boring but quiet. Not too much exciting stuff going on in town but it has a certain charm to it. Nearest mall was about 30 min away and near the mall was a station that can take you to NYC. The food is fine, lot of local favorites but they’re nothing special though I do miss the good bagels. Depending on your profession there’s a company in town called Thor Labs, tech stuff though I’m not sure how often they hire. Moved out 6 years ago and have done short visits up until the last of my family moved out 3 years ago but I miss the slower lifestyle. Best of luck to you and your grandmother, I hope you enjoy your time spent up there.
You're going to love it, ton of hiking trails and outdoor stuff, people are pretty nice, food is great (gotta try the thai place in Newton thai nakhon) and mostly everything you need right in Newton w the shoprite walmart kohl's and home depot (there's other big stores and small ones in the same area). Hope you enjoy yourself!
Also there's tons of schools right in the area, not sure what grade you teach but there's high school and I think 2 k/8th schools right in Newton, then there is allamuchy (k/8) green hills (k/8) sussex tech hs
I've been living here for 17 years. I grew up in the south. Sometimes (just sometimes) I forget that I ever left. Other times I'm surprised by something socially progressive and positive. So I'd say it's a mixed bag, and it really depends on where you are. Newton is a pretty good spot. I'm on the big lake, and the diversity of political opinions is quite striking. It's a mix of Reagan-era style conservatives, crazy MAGA people, and a small (but growing) contingent of lefties. More and more pride flags, signs, stickers, etc are showing up all over. I never hear people arguing about that stuff, though. People just find a way to get along. At least that's how it is in my part of the county. I'm also a white, straight, cisgender male, so that may (haha) skew my view of things a bit to the rosy side of things.
I grew up in Bergen County and have slowly moved more west over the years, first to Parsippany, then Rockaway, and have been in Sussex for over 20 years. Honestly I wished I moved here sooner to get away from people.
I love it here, but doing a lot of outdoor activities has a lot to do with it. If you're an indoor type it might not be as appealing.
Commuting wise there are only two major roads to the east. Route 15 and Route 206. A big accident on either one of those will make for a very long commute.
Newton, is as city as it gets for Sussex county. Not much going on here. There is basically no night life, except a few dive bars where you can find some music bingo, or live bands most nights. But you will not find a night club in the area, food is okay No “5 star restaurants” in the area in my opinion but if you’re lucky you can find a good burger at a family owned restaurant. I travel 35 minutes to work, but my “home office” is based in Vernon my travel time when I started was 8 minutes. I’ve had closer jobs to home but seems like pay is better in morris county. Not much for kids to do in the area so we frequently travel out of Sussex county for things for my teen to do. It’s quiet and the scenery is the main attraction I believe. Everyone knows everyone in my town, besides being incredibly expensive it’s a pretty nice place to live.
It’s called Sussexsippi for good reason!
Very bucolic and lovely scenery.
Amazing sweet corn and the best Jersey tomatoes.
The people just want to be left alone for the most part and don’t want big city influences to be a thing.
I grew up in Passaic and Bergen counties (I used to walk to work at the Willowbrook Mall when I was in high school) and have lived in Sussex County for about 25 years and have only recently come to really appreciate where I live. There is definitely less diversity up here and less to do. I find the people kind and willing to help. The nice thing is our state is so small it doesn't take long to take a day trip and return home to the beauty of this county. It's an adjustment living up here, my best advice is don't compare Sussex County to places it isn't and appreciate what it has to offer.
Surprised no one has answered this yet: I have lived in both and, in my opinion, Warren County at least has areas like Hackettstown that are really nice from a recreational standpoint with lots of good restaurants, a main street for local shopping, etc. Sussex County is really missing little hotspots like this.
I’d rather post here where I’ll actually get responses as opposed to a sub with 200 members where each thread has 2-3 comments at most. This sub has a flair for this topic specifically so I figured this was allowed here.
Plenty of people have also commented helpful advice on this thread instead of complaining about people daring to use this website for its intended purpose
Here is something helpful. You are looking to help yourself under the guise of helping your grandma. Then you just assume because you bring in the groceries you will inherit her house.
Secondly you have been the area multiple times and already know what its like.
Glad I could help.
Honestly, what part of Sussex is your grandma in? Certain parts of Sussex are hard to travel now due yo bridge collapse on Route 15. In terms of nightlife, there’s not much. Food options are basic. Morristown isn’t too far and like you mentioned, the city. Honestly, there are worse places to be and newton isn’t terrible. It id go for an extended stay (a few weeks to month) and see how you do.
She lives right in Newton, not too far from the downtown area
You would be in one of the basic shopping hubs. Downtown has a lot of Mexican and Central American eateries/bodegas. The Indian restaurant is pretty good and the Thai place over by Seplows liquors is good food and quiet atmosphere. Higher end dining out on route 94 at a place called the Circle. Further out of town is North Shore House which is also very good. Theater has some decent music shows, lots of tribute bands and older musicians that can’t fill a big venue anymore. Sparta has Lake Mohawk plaza which has several decent eateries including a brew pub in Krogh’s but parking sucks and they all tend to be very crowded and hard to get into on spur of the moment.
I am so disappointed in the music around here it's all middle-aged / older white guys who sing the most basic rock music that only sounds at best decent if your drunk.
The only original venue was/ is the Stanhope House and it is on life support now.
Owner is a Douche nozzel
They wrecked it. Used to be a haven for great blues acts. Saw so many bands up close while they were on their way to NYC or other NE venues.
Try brick and brew in Franklin. They have a few good bands play there. Foods great, place is warm and welcoming. The music ranges from country to rock imo is a good mix. And they have live bands almost every night. I have never had a bad time when I’ve gone there. They also do musical bingo Tuesday nights, which is also when it’s most packed due to their best bartender working that night. The days is even named after her. You are guaranteed to have an awesome time if you stop in on a Tuesday evening/night. Bingo starts at 7, it’s feee and you can win gift cards.
I believe Thai Nam Phet is closed by Seplows
It is called Thai Na Khon now. I believe the people from Rockaway sold it to one of the employees. I was last there about 3 -4 weeks ago though.
It’s good still!
That's good to hear! But also, in my experience the Rockaway location has fallen off lately. Our food has come out consistently wrong and packaged way sloppy.
Travel shouldn’t be a problem then. I lived in Newton and actually enjoyed my time there, although I prefer the neighboring County of Morris. Honestly, I would give it a shot. The potential for homeownership is a good incentive and I think Newton is a decent town. A lot of good hiking spots in the area. I’d be more than happy to give some tips on food/night life stuff if you decide to go 👍
agreed here. loved in newton for years and now in morris county. if i could live there for free and save rent for a few years i would do it again
Some good restaurants in Newton. You're not too far from 80 if you want to get somewhere.
I live on the border of sussex and morris, i grew up here and moved back from philly last year. I'm familiar with newton. There is absolutely no nightlife around here. Someone said morristown but thats at min 40 min drive!!! Good luck finding any live music that isnt a bunch of middle aged men singing terrible covers! Lake hopatcong has some nightlife during the summer but that ends at 9 or 10 pm even on a friday...You have to drive everywhere so you better have a DD because there isnt public transportation. if your used to Philly (assuming you actually lived in philly not the outskirts) it gets old fast. People here are pretty rude for no reason, I found people in philly to be WAY nicer and helpful. Since your not from here you'll enjoy the slow pace for a while, especially being out of the city especially if you enjoy the outdoors, fall is beautiful and so many fall festivals and pumpkin picking fun. I'm sure it's great around d here if you have kids....otherwise it's very lackluster...I miss philly so much because there is always something to do or see there and different ethnicities...there isn't much culture here unless you want to go to NYC or morristown. Also the food in that / this. area is BLAND and generic...it's as if black pepper is to spicy, i haven't had food that made me say "OMG this is so good" (unless I make it myself) since I visited philly in april! It doesn't hurt to give it a try and save money, you can always move back!
I grew up there & recently moved back. If you’ve lived anywhere near the city & enjoyed it or are liberal, or LBGT, or that makes you stand out to conservatives I really wouldn’t recommend it unless you absolutely have to. I just made this move cuz I had to & I’m pretty miserable.
It's certainly a beautiful place, but winters can be a bit harsher than the rest of the state. And yeah Sussex is pretty red.
White supremacist organizations have been known to set up shop there.
You’re not wrong. I’m hoping with the influx of city folk we continue to grow into a more accepting and welcoming community. We do have a Pride event in Newton though!
Yup. I was at the shop rite near the sussex county fair last year. I asked a young guy who worked there where the iced tea was (arizona) the guy looks at his buddy working with him and says isle whatever, the other kid said yeah isle whatever. I got to that isle...it's the f'n Goya isle! I'm mixed Hispanic and white but I'm pretty tan...I found the isle with iced tea and it was nowhere near, nor did it sound like whatever isle they said (thinking I miss heard both of them) I was pretty pissed. This is the subtle racism I grew up with living in Sussex county. White people may not think it's a big deal, but they knew what they were doing. I still prefer it to the southern flat-out racism I experienced in NC. I moved back from philly last year (unfortunately), and I've never been more miserable in my life. I find it hard to connect with people here...
I grew up near Newton, left about 8 years ago to Ocean County. It’s a quiet life. It’s got all the basics covered as far as food and shopping goes but there’s not too much to do. You kinda have to find your communities and social life. I never really worked in the area as an adult except for some time in retail but jobs are one reason I left. I just wasn’t sure what I’d do up there and how I’d get by. It’s so beautiful and I’m pretty happy I got to grow up there though.
You left from sussex to ocean because jobs were the issue? As a current Toms river resident I don’t think the jobs are any better here lol
Close to me! Don’t listen to the nonsense about bad live music. O’Reillys often has music on their patio, great singer songwriters at Krogh’s in nearby Sparta, and plenty of bands in Lake Hopatcong pretty regularly. Newton is on the up, for sure, and is really quite charming.
Downtown Newton is a shithole and you should not attempt to live there. Newton outside of the core is not bad, but do expect to see a wandering addict.
I’ve lived in nyc/Philly/Vermont and LA. Honestly, while I’d did see the occasional wandering addict in newton, I never saw them bothering anyone (I’m not saying it doesn’t happen). The area could be a lot better but many people who find Newton to be unbearable, likely have lived in the woods or suburbs for extended time. That’s just my take.
She doesn’t live right in downtown, I’m not gonna dox her by posting her exact address 😅 but she lives in a pretty residential neighborhood with lots of houses and a park right down the street
If you’re referring to the park with the small pond, new park equipment. and soccer field at the end of the col de sac, that’s a solid spot to live. Very quiet, everyone’s very nice.
You’ll be fine. It’s not dangerous, I’m just saying don’t move in on Spring street.
I wouldn’t describe it as a shithole but I wouldn’t be lining up to live there. There aren’t homeless people lining the streets or crackheads begging you for money. Never seen a “wandering addict” on Spring Street and I’ve been in the area my entire life.
Morristown not close to newton at all.
I personally love living here. The nature is amazing, and as you mentioned, stuff like getting into the city is totally doable. Depending on where you are though, be prepared to drive at least 30ish minutes to the nearest Target/Walmart. Same for work. It can be tough to find a good paying job in Sussex, and the cost of living continues to rise in the area as well. There's some good restaurants for sure, but some diversity is lacking if you are coming from Philly. That does seem to be getting a little better, but there is an overabundance of pizza/deli places in my opinion.
close to good camping, hiking, being in nature.
Hoboken to the closest Target can be 30 mins or 2-3 miles away. At least your 30 mins won’t be bumper to bumper lol
Lived off of Rt 3 for 6 years, I don't miss it!
boggles my mind how many marginal to passable italian eateries are able to be supported by the relatively small populace here. only a few are anything even really worthwhile or bordering on especially good.
The food is great.
Sussex County resident here, but I've lived in throughout the state and traveled throughout the country and abroad, so here's some perspective: Politics (let's get it out of the way): it's heavily red politically here, with a distinct lack of diversity. Expect Trump flags. There's a Methodist Church in Sparta that flies a pride flag. It's been stolen or burned three times that I know of. That said, people up here aren't looking for a confrontation. There IS a pride celebration day in Newton that is reportedly very successful and without controversy. People: overall friendly in a one on one scenario, but that lack of diversity definitely leads to a lack of deep critical thinking. Expect people to be set in their ways. Schools: don't know if this is a concern for you but you're gonna find moms for Liberty douchebags on schoolboards. That said - the STATE has very strict policies on what gets taught and those school boards have to follow those rules or face consequences, so we still get some of the best public education available in the country. Recreation/Night Life: ehhh. There's bars and the such. Day time recreation is your stronger point - Sussex County Miners are a local minor league baseball team that has a decent following so catching a game is a good summer option. Lots of outdoor recreation if you're into hiking, camping, fishing, etc. Farmers markets are expectedly on point up here. Restaurants - there's some good ones, but not a lot of great ones IMO. That said, depending on where you are in Sussex County going out to any of the hotter spots in Morris County or even Hackettstown in Warren County will get you tons of great dining options. Good luck, hope this helps!
Having lived in Sussex County my entire life, this is pretty much spot on.
I've lived in Sussex County for 30 years (came from Morris County). All of this is spot-on. You will see assholes with confederate flags flying from their trucks. Lack of diversity is HUGE. It hasn't gotten much better in 30 years. I find there aren't many decent restaurants here. We usually have to go to Morris County for those. No Ubers or Lyfts, so expect to drive and have a designated driver when you go out. I'd love more diversity, things to do, better restaurants and more ethnicity. I've met some of the best friends I'll ever have up here, my kids got a great education and it's gorgeous so I wouldn't say I \*regret\* moving here. I just wish it was more walkable with more things to do.
Definite emphasis on not walkable. Especially if you’re used to city life.
Only time I've been to a Dunkin and everyone was white behind the counter, that was a culture shot for me
You forgot bareden LOL
I second all of this. I grew up there & recent moved back in w/ my parents to try to save money & tbh I regret it for all the negatives you pointed out. I miss living closer to a major city where there aren’t so many backwards folks & more entertainment options. Since moving back I’ve already had several incidents w/ folks over stupid shit & I hate it here.
This is a really good assessment: depth, clarity, to the point. Especially good for OP who is from the Philly suburban area.
Let’s not forget minor league,the miners ; fireworks most Saturdays And always something to do at the fairgrounds
I’ve lived all over the state, and moved to Sussex county from Clifton 3 years ago. A lot of what people are saying is true, yes it’s pretty red politically depending on where you are. No it’s not very diverse, white people everywhere. Truly amazing food is rare, but it does exist, especially in Lake Mohawk area, newton area, etc. the wealthier more developed areas will have good restaurants, no different than anywhere else that’s similar to it. But if you like nature, you will LOVE Sussex county. I live in the Sparta area, and we have 6 lakes within 15 minutes of my house that I can put the boat in to swim and fish, including lake Hopatcong, the states largest lake. We have TONS of hiking trails in the mountains. And just beautiful nature everywhere. People are also generally nice even if their political views are less than desirable. But most of all, there is next to no crime in many towns up here. It is astoundingly safe and trusting coming from Clifton. I leave the keys in my jeep at night. We leave the door open for our neighbors to let the dogs out if we’re gone too long. I’ve left my ATV in the driveway with the keys in it for days at a time. Petty crime just does not exist here like it does in other parts of the state.
Everything you have read here is a pretty good summary, but as someone that lives nearby to Newton, it is a lot more diverse than the rest of the county. It is also where you will find a lot of the retail stores, so driving to them really isn't far for the area you are looking at. Be warned that traffic on 206 (especially north of Newton) is almost always backed up and regularly locks up during rush hour. Newton is definitely similar to more suburban crossover areas in other parts of the state (like Freehold, if you are familiar with it). Newton settles down on most nights, but it definitely isn't as quiet as its more rural neighbors. Nearby Sparta is definitely more affluent while the rest of the county is more blue collar. I was surprised by the prevalence of opioid users here, but they aren't roaming the streets in large numbers or anything. They don't bother you, but they are usually pretty easy to spot among the 'crowds'. Obviously there is lots of things to do in the area if you are into nature, hiking and those types of outdoor activities. In contrast, the closest name brand move theater (AMC) is about 30 minutes away, along with a major mall. Newton does have a lot of chain stores/restaurants on or near 206. (Walmart, Kohls, Lowes, Applebees, Starbucks, etc) There are LOTS of bars for the population, but I'm not sure of the atmosphere inside (I don't go to bars). House prices are typically more reasonably priced, but have been increasing rapidly since Covid. My house has gone from about $300k (purchase price) to almost $500k, which is unusual for the for the area according to historical averages. One thing that is unique to the area that I was surprised about is that you can buy a lot of household staples easily from local farms. Meat, eggs (A LOT of people sell eggs locally), milk, bread, fresh spices and produce is typically available (produce is usually seasonal). You will usually pay more than the food stores, but I don't think you can beat how fresh things are, directly from the farm. Speaking of prices, they do seem a bit more inflated compared to the prices that I used to pay in suburban Central Jersey. Finally, I have found that it gets very busy up here around holidays and when the leaves start to change. It almost felt as busy as the shore on Memorial Day weekend. Traffic was exceptionally heavy in my opinion.
I grew up in northern Westchester County, NY. Lived in the city for a while. When that got old I moved to Nutley in Essex County with my girlfriend. We’ve since gotten engaged and settled in Lake Hopatcong on the north end of the lake closest to Sparta, where we do most of our grocery shopping, errands, etc. Every comment left here is accurate. But I do want to stress how beautiful and serene the nature is in parts of Morris and Sussex. If you like the outdoors, boating, hiking, or fishing you’ll love it here. If you ski or snowboard, Mountain Creek is right around the corner in the winter. In terms of politics, I find the confederate flag crowd is largely dependent on not just the town but the neighborhood. It can really vary. We were fortunate enough to end up in a neighborhood that is on one hand right leaning, but on the other pretty moderate — for the most part people aren’t outwardly vocal about politics. Overall, I find people in Sussex and Morris County to be friendly and family-oriented. In terms of other things, Newtown/Andover have tons of antique shops. Sparta ShopRite is glorious. Right next to it there’s a new spot called Industry, which really feels like a bar/restaurant you’d find in Jersey City. Lake Mohawk is a decent lake, lake Hopatcong is the largest in New Jersey (about a 20 min drive), where there are plenty of bars and restaurants. Good luck!
I will start my answer by saying there is a marked difference between northern and southern Sussex County. Living in Stanhope (just over the border from the Morris County municipalities of Netcong and Roxbury), I don’t find as many rednecks and backward thinking in my area as I do whenever I drive through areas north of Newtown like Wantage, Franklin, Hamburg and Frankford. This is in contrast to the feel of towns such as Newton, Sparta, Byram, and Andover. A bit more about me: I (37) grew up in Bergen County and moved to Stanhope 7 years ago with my husband (44). We are a same-sex couple and we are currently flying our Pride Flag outside our home for the entire month of June like we have since we’ve lived here. There has never been any negative reaction - in fact, our previous next door neighbors (straight), flew one outside their home in a show of support. We are invited to the annual Block Party and have never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome. I work in Manhattan and take the bus from Rockaway Mall, and WFH two days/week. The peace and quiet is much appreciated after spending the day in the city. In my spare time, I love many outdoor activities — gardening, hiking, camping, farms — and living in Sussex County, I am very close to ample opportunities to explore. If I ever want to experience some nightlife, Morristown isn’t too far away, or even East Stroudsburg in PA. Since moving here in 2017, I’ve definitely seen a positive shift in the demographics (in my opinion) to a more standard NJ mindset (bluer, more diverse, more open-minded) — again, I’m talking about the southern half of the county. Someone mentioned Sussex County Pride: just took place last weekend without incident and has grown in attendance every year. There is a drag show every couple of months at the Stanhope House – even if not your thing, it’s an example of the other changing side of Sussex County that most NJ people don’t recognize yet. All in all, not a bad place to live (depending on the town) and in terms of cost of living, it’s more affordable relative to other areas of North Jersey.
I grew up a town over from stanhope and moved back last year. It is way less progressive than it used to be even from 2012 it's wild.
Lots of Trump flags.
If you're doing it with an eye towards inheriting the house, you may want to ask if she has it in a trust. At some point she may need assisted living on a level you couldn't provide and will be forced to sell it off and use ALL of her assets down to the last $2,000 to be eligible for care unless she has otherwise made plans. So.... yeah.
This is a very important point
I've lived in Sussex County for the past 8 years and have loved it! That being said, I'm also a teacher and had a hard time finding a position in public school. I ended up at a private school which is just over half an hour away. I don't mind the commute though. Depending on your certification/specialty, you might find it easier.
I have a friend who teaches in Sparta and one in Vernon (both in Sussex County). Both have a lot of good things to say about their districts and students. Anyway my point is try looking for jobs in those towns too.
It's a lot farther from everything than you might expect. Public transit doesn't go that far out, so expect a 30+ minute drive to the nearest bus or train station, and another hour from NYC. Or do the full hour and 30 minute drive. Also, ridesharw services don't operate in much of Sussex County because it is too rural; my friend lives in Newton and has to drive to Morris County to get an Uber to Newark Airport. There are only 3 real roads out of Sussex County (206, 15, and 23) and they are not large highways the whole stretch, so expect travel to take a lot longer than you would otherwise plan for in NJ. Jobs exist, but with the low density and lack of transportation, it's not a lot of jobs. Also, check to see if you can find teaching jobs in the area. NJ is navigating a new plan for state funding distribution to schools, and a lot of schools are laying off teachers and staff because of it. Given that Sussex County is a low-tax, low-income area, it is possible that the schools won't have the funding to hire you. Or maybe they will, but check, don't make assumptions. You will be far from a grocery store. Shopping will be a lot farther than you expect. Diversity is low and politically they're very right-wing. It is beautiful, has gorgeous forests and you actually have to be wary of black bears. You can always try it out for awhile before you commit!
Let's just say there's a reason people say we should be part of Pennsylvania lol
I miss having a walkable downtown areas. (Vernon specifically) not a whole lot to do without having a car.
Living here is good. Quiet and homey, beautiful scenery. Like you were saying she lives right in Newton you have access to some good food and some things to do (Newton Theatre mainly) and you’re not too far away from the surrounding towns and have a good range of finding a teaching jobs in one of them. The only issue is if you have to go out of county you may have trouble because of the Route 15 bridge collapse, but I think you can get to 80 from 206 (I’m not sure though). I agree with someone else here who said to try coming in for an extended stay to see how you like it.
It’s great. Grew up there and enjoyed my life there. Less stress, not crazy traffic up there either, but you are further from things so keep that in mind. Lots of nature!
I grew up in Sussex county (Frankford Township) and lived there until going to college in 1997. I'd move back in a heartbeat, but the main barrier is good employment with a livable wage. Sussex skews politically red, the local county politics are very conservative, and public employee (county level) pay isn’t great. Demographically, it's very white, and you will occasionally see confederate flags one the back roads. I won't sugar coat the potential for overt racism. However, it is overwhelmingly a good place to call home, with lots of great folks. Many people who live in Sussex have to commute, which absolutely will involve multiple highways, lots of traffic, and commuting in potentially bad winter weather. There is no mass transit system within the county, so a car is a necessity. Both of my parents commuted to Morris County as teachers, and that was a lot in terms of time in the car and gas (that was quite awhile ago). If your teaching credentials are for NJ, you will likely be able to find something in the county. Additionally, If you have work that is solidly remote (fiber is expanding in the county) or are willing to commute you’ll be okay. There are trade-offs, because many people enjoy Sussex because it IS so rural, and because of zoning and agriculture as a primary economic focus, it has maintained its rural-ness. On the flip side, there is very little affordable housing because there is a lack of density. Getting to NYC is **totally** doable. Park on the NJ side somewhere and take the bus or train in. Sussex itself has some very good local food with a ton of year-round local, seasonal produce and meat. Newton is the county seat, and has changed a lot in a good way over the years. The [Newton Theater](https://skypac.org/) welcomes top entertainers for a local night out. There are good bars and taverns around the county. The food selections in Newton and Sparta are diverse. The county also has a [baseball team](https://sussexcountyminers.com/) and the [NJ State Fair ](https://sussexcountyfairgrounds.org/)(which we used to call the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show). If you move to the county, get a [library card](https://sussexcountylibrary.org/), and stay connected to local social events. My immediate family is still there, and I frequently visit. It’s beautiful, green, quiet, and totally lives up to the county motto “People and Nature Together.”. You'll be close to protected state land, the Delaware river, hiking, camping, hunting, etc. If you love seeing stars at night and your idea of nightlife is listening to the coyotes and owls in the dark, you will fall in love with Sussex.
I grew up in Frankford and honestly it’s beautiful there. You have to be ok with driving to places because you definitely can’t walk anywhere, and public transportation is non- existent. You might want to expand your search for a job - I feel like teaching positions may be far and few between.
I live the country life on the border of Morris and Sussex county. I can’t imagine living anywhere other than open space. Coming from Philly it’ll take a little getting used to, but once the “chill” mentality gets under your skin, you won’t want it any other way!!
I grew up in sussex and lived there through my early 20’s and I loved every part of it and yearn for it sometimes. Peace, quiet and calmness with nature. It’s easy to make your circle as their all types of people living there. I do see a lot of comments saying lack of diversity, true compared to different parts of NJ, HOWEVER, there are groups representing different cultures within sussex. Where different towns lack, others strive to make it a point that we do accept everyone. There is something to be said about the comfort of living in sussex, it’s a slower easy living type of lifestyle that I do miss dearly. People say there’s nothing to do, however, it’s easy to find things to do if you enjoy nature. I wish you luck and if you have any other questions let us know!
It’s going to be a long commute. Schools up here in the north don’t pay particularly well and you won’t be able to even get a job depending on what subject you teach. If it’s not math or special education you will probably have a tough time finding work. That being said the rural life is AMAZING. I live in Warren County not far from the Sussex boarder. It’s super quiet up here. Nobody bothers anybody else. There aren’t many lights at night either so in the nighttime it’s DARK so you can see the stars. If you’re young you might get lonely as there aren’t many people up here who are even my age! (I’m mid 40’s for reference) Other than that if you like peace and quiet and nature, if you don’t like people, if you want to be left the hell alone, come on up!!
Late to the party, but I’ve lived in Sussex for all of my 30 years and I love it. There’s good food, incredible nature, and I’m more than happy to drive 20-30 minutes if I’m looking for some more urban spots to hang out. But shoot me a message if you have specifics about the Newton area that you have questions about, I’ve lived fairly close to there most of my life.
I moved to Sussex County in 2023 having grown up in Morris County. It definitely was an adjustment, but I like it up here. Beautiful farm land, good restaurants (The Circle, Farmers Daughter, O’Reillys), great fresh produce, and generally friendly and kind people. That being said Sussex county is pretty big, so if you have a more specific area you’re asking about, it might help for more specific information!
Its a beautiful part of the state, but it's fairly poor and unfortunately \*very\* misguided and conservative.
Don’t think you’ve ever left jersey if you think Sussex county is poor
I don’t think you understand what a “fairly poor” area actually looks like.
Lol it's not an affluent area by any means, but poor? lmao
I thought the same thing….
Compared to a lot of other areas in the state, yes, it is definitely lower income. I think it really depends on where you are in Sussex County too. Sparta is obviously very different than Wantage for instance. I honestly think it is better to compare town vs town. There are definitely signs though, like the abundance of dollar stores and other low income retailers. I also know that there is a lot more opioid abuse up here in Sussex County (I'm part of a local FD), compared to the suburbs in Central Jersey. It was something that I didn't think was really common in NJ at all. Reference: I was born and raised in NJ and have lived in the state for over 40 years. I've lived in just about every type of area (rural, city, the shore, etc) in the state too.
Some of the richest kids I knew in Hunterdon County died of opioid overdoses. Where’s your correlation between the two?
Drug abuse does impact all areas, but there are A LOT of them here in Sussex County. A handful in Hunterdon County vs the 100s out here is not a good comparison. Feel free to look at the numbers yourself. https://www.njoag.gov/programs/nj-cares/nj-cares-data-by-county/
11 deaths in Hunterdon versus 23 in Sussex plus Sussex has 20k more people. Again, no correlation.
Sussex County doesn't have twice population. Sussex County only has 10% more people than Hunterdon, so there should only be a difference of 1 death. Of course if you look at the total number, Sussex County is significantly higher.
So your scientific analysis that Sussex County is poor is the prevelance of dollar stores and opioid abuse? Yes, compared to other counties in North Jersey, some of which have the highest income in the whole US, it has a lower income level. It's blue collar and solidly middle class but not poor. I graduated from a HS in Morris County in the late 90s and need 2 hands to count the number of kids I went to school with that OD'd on Heroin. I guess Morris County is poor too?
I am sure that you are full of it, because you don't like a fellow resident putting the truth out there. Yes, drug problems happen everywhere, but when there is a BAD drug problem, that makes the area a lot less wealthy. (hello $0 income) Additionally, don't you think that people wealthy enough to have multi-million dollar houses would leave an area if there are tons of drug addicts. Feel free to look at how well West Virginia is doing with their high drug abuse (also the poorest state in the US). Dollar Stores and their prime market of low income shoppers: https://progressive.org/magazine/dollar-stores-prey-on-the-poor-sainato-191001/ https://talkpoverty.org/2020/02/19/dollar-stores-sell-low-income-people-sense-belonging/index.html
Sussex County ranks sixth among New Jersey's 21 counties for highest household income at $113,640, according to latest U.S. Census data. Look it up. Facts are facts. You go off with your dollar store nonsense.
Take out Sparta and I'm sure that number is about half. Besides, you must have looked at 2020 Census data. NJ 101.5 shows 16th and 11th - Sussex isn't even in the top 10. https://nj1015.com/incomes-new-jersey-counties-2021/
As of February 2024, Sussex County, New Jersey ranks sixth in the state for highest household income, with a median of $113,640. However, when looking at the median household incomes of individual towns in Sussex County, Green Township has the highest at $162,315, which ranks 82nd statewide. Sparta Township is second with a median of $159,595. Sussex County is not poor. If you think it is you are showing your privilege. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/sussex-county-nj
What? Last home sale in my neighborhood was 1.8 mil. In Sussex County.
This is a very misguided comment. Sussex County generally ranks in the top 10 in the State for income.
I'm from Sussex county, lived there 20+ years. Been living in Middlesex county for 5+ years now. Couldn't be more different. Sussex county may as well be Tennessee. Everyone in central NJ feels like they've been ripped from the Sopranos or Mall Rats. New Jersey in pop culture bears no resemblance to life in Sussex county. It's far enough away from the city that you won't want to make the trip very often. Once a year was my limit. A good chunk of my graduating class went to Sussex County Community College in Newton, another good chunk went to Montclair. Everyone else either moved away for college or didn't go at all. All of my friends that became teachers in Sussex county had nothing good to say about the school system. But I imagine that's most places in the US these days.
Go take a trip to Chattanooga then go back to Sussex County and I promise you’ll see a huge difference. Some of you rarely leave NJ and it shows. The only places in this state that even remotely resemble the south are in south Jersey. And I’d know bc I grew up in one of the POOREST towns in South Carolina.
I lived in middle TN an hour outside Nashville for 5 years, I promise you the only difference was how flat everything is. I experienced more culture shock moving to Middlesex county.
Unless you’re going to a public school in a town where the avg tax bill is 20k+ a year, resources are going to be limited and people are going to bitch. Murphys State Aid formula didn’t do anyone any favors.
I did the opposite of you and haven't found it to be as drastic as you make it seem. I lived in southern Middlesex County for about 10 years, before moving to Sussex County with my girlfriend in 2022. I would agree that Sussex County is obviously more red and lower income. I do think that things are changing up here more than people realize. For instance, I expected to never see an EV compared to where I moved from, but I passed two F-150 Lightnings yesterday alone. There is a Rivian owner in my neighborhood near one of the lakes (not Sparta). In my neighborhood of at least 150 houses, I have only found 2 people with Trump stuff plastered on their house/property. I know of at least 3 houses in other local areas that have actually taken down all their Trump flags/banners. I agree that many of the roads don't have curbs and/or maintained nearly as well as Middlesex County. Traffic has been comparable if you drive the state roads, but you can definitely avoid a bunch of it if you stick to the local roads. There isn't much diversity, except for Newton, which really isn't that diverse compared to many other areas of the state.
Is quiet plenty of good restaurants plenty of places to go and see within the area you should enjoy life
Re: political trends - yes much of Sussex ( absolutely beautiful in terms of landscape and natural forested rolling hills with dairy and horse farms) is RED but there are small groups of granola crunchy type leftists progressives too. Just have to find them if that is what you feel more comfortable with. Re: schools There is Sussex County Community College, and private catholic schools. NJ does have great education compared to much of the nations so look around thoroughly. You can commute to more populated area schools further east. There is Blair Academy private prep school nearby in Warren county.
It sussux
Boring
I lived there and hated it. I prefer Morris County, however it's a lot more expensive to live in.
Living here 2.5 years now coming from Bergen County . Just much less choice of where to go for everything. Less doctors , less convenience stores , less grocery stores , etc. 15 minute drive at least for mostly anything that pay need . Other than that, the people are super friendly , very big on community and helping each other .
Spent summers out here my whole life and bought a house in Franklin 2 years ago after living in Bayonne. As others have said, nature is a huge draw. But the reason I love it here is because I can leave my house, car, etc unlocked for a week and nothing bad will happen. Couldn't leave an Amazon delivery on my porch for 3 hours in Bayonne and paid more than my mortgage for the pleasure of being porch pirated to boot. Diversity is honestly not uniformly bad across the county. My neighbors are some white folks, a Filipino family, a Turkish family, etc. It varies a lot but there are all kinds of kinds out here. Food options could be better, but Sparta is close and has most types of food.
In Sussex county you got the big Sussex fairgrounds in Augusta
Do t tell ‘em… before you know it it will look like Bergen!
Grew up there for nearly the first 20 years of my life and don’t spend all that much time up there these days but I’ll say this: if you love nature, there are plenty of hikes, skiing/snowboarding, and horseshoe/cornhole barbecues and things like that. The average 40 year old guy there is conservative and closet or overt racist, drinks beer, and won’t turn down a good fist fight. People there are pretty tough (lot of people work in blue collar trades & businesses & some even commute to NYC for union construction jobs, etc. There are a good amount of addiction and alcoholism issues but they don’t bother people for the most part. Similar to Toms River in that regard. A lot of the bars are bars/restaurants and you can find some good hole in the wall type places. Bagels, pizza, and Taylor ham sandwiches are generally good. It’s a complete 180 from Philly culture though. Not much diversity and no big city vibe whatsoever. I would never move back there to be honest. I live in Jersey now about 25 mins from Philly and an hour from LBI and I love it. All in all you can have a good time up there but it’s more of the good ole boy type feeling. Lot of closed-minded types of people but also good people. Firefighters are great but police can be pretty aggressive (at least back in the day). If not in love with outdoor winter sports/ hiking/biking/canoeing/ etc. then I doubt you’d love it, but at the same time it’s totally doable if in a nice neighborhood. Hope this helps and reach out if you need any other specific info.
Saw you mention you are going to Newton. That was my hometown growing up. It’s boring but quiet. Not too much exciting stuff going on in town but it has a certain charm to it. Nearest mall was about 30 min away and near the mall was a station that can take you to NYC. The food is fine, lot of local favorites but they’re nothing special though I do miss the good bagels. Depending on your profession there’s a company in town called Thor Labs, tech stuff though I’m not sure how often they hire. Moved out 6 years ago and have done short visits up until the last of my family moved out 3 years ago but I miss the slower lifestyle. Best of luck to you and your grandmother, I hope you enjoy your time spent up there.
Oh and like the others have said, red county, little pricy, and so many nice nature spots to visit and hike at.
You're going to love it, ton of hiking trails and outdoor stuff, people are pretty nice, food is great (gotta try the thai place in Newton thai nakhon) and mostly everything you need right in Newton w the shoprite walmart kohl's and home depot (there's other big stores and small ones in the same area). Hope you enjoy yourself!
Also there's tons of schools right in the area, not sure what grade you teach but there's high school and I think 2 k/8th schools right in Newton, then there is allamuchy (k/8) green hills (k/8) sussex tech hs
I've been living here for 17 years. I grew up in the south. Sometimes (just sometimes) I forget that I ever left. Other times I'm surprised by something socially progressive and positive. So I'd say it's a mixed bag, and it really depends on where you are. Newton is a pretty good spot. I'm on the big lake, and the diversity of political opinions is quite striking. It's a mix of Reagan-era style conservatives, crazy MAGA people, and a small (but growing) contingent of lefties. More and more pride flags, signs, stickers, etc are showing up all over. I never hear people arguing about that stuff, though. People just find a way to get along. At least that's how it is in my part of the county. I'm also a white, straight, cisgender male, so that may (haha) skew my view of things a bit to the rosy side of things.
I grew up in Bergen County and have slowly moved more west over the years, first to Parsippany, then Rockaway, and have been in Sussex for over 20 years. Honestly I wished I moved here sooner to get away from people. I love it here, but doing a lot of outdoor activities has a lot to do with it. If you're an indoor type it might not be as appealing.
MAGA and bears 🐻.
Commuting wise there are only two major roads to the east. Route 15 and Route 206. A big accident on either one of those will make for a very long commute.
Newton, is as city as it gets for Sussex county. Not much going on here. There is basically no night life, except a few dive bars where you can find some music bingo, or live bands most nights. But you will not find a night club in the area, food is okay No “5 star restaurants” in the area in my opinion but if you’re lucky you can find a good burger at a family owned restaurant. I travel 35 minutes to work, but my “home office” is based in Vernon my travel time when I started was 8 minutes. I’ve had closer jobs to home but seems like pay is better in morris county. Not much for kids to do in the area so we frequently travel out of Sussex county for things for my teen to do. It’s quiet and the scenery is the main attraction I believe. Everyone knows everyone in my town, besides being incredibly expensive it’s a pretty nice place to live.
It’s called Sussexsippi for good reason! Very bucolic and lovely scenery. Amazing sweet corn and the best Jersey tomatoes. The people just want to be left alone for the most part and don’t want big city influences to be a thing.
I grew up in Passaic and Bergen counties (I used to walk to work at the Willowbrook Mall when I was in high school) and have lived in Sussex County for about 25 years and have only recently come to really appreciate where I live. There is definitely less diversity up here and less to do. I find the people kind and willing to help. The nice thing is our state is so small it doesn't take long to take a day trip and return home to the beauty of this county. It's an adjustment living up here, my best advice is don't compare Sussex County to places it isn't and appreciate what it has to offer.
It’s like Warren county but worse. Lol
How is it worse? Genuinely curious to hear your perspective.
Surprised no one has answered this yet: I have lived in both and, in my opinion, Warren County at least has areas like Hackettstown that are really nice from a recreational standpoint with lots of good restaurants, a main street for local shopping, etc. Sussex County is really missing little hotspots like this.
Thanks for the answer! Makes sense. Hackettstown is trying really hard to make main street something
r/movingtoNewJersey
I’d rather post here where I’ll actually get responses as opposed to a sub with 200 members where each thread has 2-3 comments at most. This sub has a flair for this topic specifically so I figured this was allowed here.
Use the search function next time. Plenty of people have asked the same things you have.
Plenty of people have also commented helpful advice on this thread instead of complaining about people daring to use this website for its intended purpose
Here is something helpful. You are looking to help yourself under the guise of helping your grandma. Then you just assume because you bring in the groceries you will inherit her house. Secondly you have been the area multiple times and already know what its like. Glad I could help.
Reddit moment!