--- title: Metuchen, New Jersey description: Metuchen, New Jersey is a cute suburb with soul, is one of the best places to live in the U.S. authors: - name: Mary Ellen Cagnassola role: Reporter url: https://money.com/author/mary-ellen-cagnassola/ bio: Mary Ellen (M.E.) Cagnassola is a former reporter at Money, where she covered Social Security, retirement, housing, and employment. Her work reflects her commitment to service and equity in consumer finance. education: Rutgers University, BA Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 205 covers: - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Education - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes former_staff: true published: '2024-04-06T11:15:50.000Z' modified: '2024-04-09T16:26:30.000Z' canonical: https://money.com/collection-post/metuchen-new-jersey/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Women dressed in asian gowns performing a dance during street fair](https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-Feature.jpg) Often overshadowed by bigger New Jersey locales, this might be the first time you’re hearing about Metuchen. But this small commuter town (er, technically borough) has undergone some big changes — and these days, it’s giving other Jersey suburbs a run for their money. ## Smart home security every second with ADT ### ADT helps protect your home and family 24/7 with professional monitoring and smart solutions. Select your state and get a free quote today. [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/e8379588f9b4?ap_referrer=%2Fcollection-post%2Fmetuchen-new-jersey%2F) ![Downtown Metuchen](https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-2.jpg?quality=85) *Downtown Metuchen* Recent additions to the borough’s [award-winning](https://www.mainstreet.org/mainstreetamerica/mainstreetawards/gamsa/gamsa2023/metuchen#:~:text=Metuchen%20Downtown%20Alliance%20in%20Metuchen,preservation%2Dbased%20commercial%20district%20revitalization.) Main Street — which was full of empty storefronts just a few years ago — have breathed new life into downtown Metuchen. Like Brainy Brewery, which serves small-batch craft beer, and Pastry Lu, a cozy bakery and cafe where patrons can linger with a book and cup of coffee. Middlesex Greenway, Metuchen’s 3.5-mile railroad-turned-walking path, is just a five-minute bike ride away. ![Downtown Metuchen](https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-1.jpg?quality=85) *Downtown Metuchen* With a population of just under 15,000, Metuchen is perhaps best described as a quaint and quiet family-friendly environment. Its highly rated public school district is among the state’s top 50, boasting excellent teachers and test scores. Unlike most areas of busy Central Jersey, Metuchen is a walker’s paradise where residents can run errands without a car. What’s more, the borough’s direct train line can take you to New York City (and every stop along the way) in just under an hour, whether you’re commuting on the daily or making a day trip to the Big Apple. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/collection-post/metuchen-new-jersey/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/collection-post/metuchen-new-jersey/", "name": "Metuchen, New Jersey", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2024-04-06T11:15:50.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/collection-post/metuchen-new-jersey/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2024-04-09T16:26:30.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Metuchen, New Jersey", "articleSection": "", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-Feature.jpg", "width": 3360, "height": 2240, "caption": "BPL24-Metuchen-Feature" }, { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-2.jpg?quality=85", "width": 800, "height": 373 }, { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2024/04/BPL24-Metuchen-1.jpg?quality=85", "width": 800, "height": 373 } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Ellen Cagnassola", "url": "https://money.com/author/mary-ellen-cagnassola/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/mary-ellen-cagnassola/#author", "description": "Mary Ellen (M.E.) Cagnassola is a former reporter at Money, where she covered Social Security, retirement, housing, and employment. Her work reflects her commitment to service and equity in consumer finance.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2023/02/mary-ellen.png?w=350&h=430&crop=1", "alumniOf": "Rutgers University, BA Journalism" } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2024-04-06T11:15:50.000Z", "description": "Metuchen, New Jersey is a cute suburb with soul, is one of the best places to live in the U.S.", "abstract": "Metuchen, New Jersey is a cute suburb with soul, is one of the best places to live in the U.S.", "@id": "https://money.com/collection-post/metuchen-new-jersey/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2024-04-09T16:26:30.000Z" } ] } ```