As the fourth largest city in the most densely populated state in the country, Elizabeth, New Jersey is an exciting environment of education, entertainment and business.
It's prime location in respect to New York City, only 15 minutes away, makes the region a popular place for people who work and play in the Big Apple. With one of the nation's highest traveled public transportation systems, locals love to sit back and enjoy the ride into the magnificent metropolis across the Hudson River.
If you are thinking about moving to the North Jersey municipality, take a moment to read this guide that can readily inform you on all the city has to offer. From the cost of living, education and employment, you will find out everything you need to know about living in Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Climate
With warm summers, July averaging around 90 degrees, and cold winters, January averaging 20 degrees, locals in the Garden State see a lot of sun and snow a year. With up to an average of 30 to 35-inches of flurries annually, locals look forward to staying warm inside after they shovel their driveways. As for the spring and fall, Elizabeth climate begins to drop and rise respectively, with cooler temperatures coming in during September, October and November and warmer climate during March, April and May.
Elizabeth Neighborhoods
At least 11 distinct districts make up the municipality of Elizabeth. Midtown, Bayway, Downtown, Elizabethport, Elmora, Frog Hollow, Keighry Head, North Elizabeth, Peterstown, the Point and Westminister are the most popular provinces.
Midtown, the main commercial district, is always busy with the hustle and bustle of open for business activity. The area is also popular for its rich history, with the First Presbyterian Church, a battleground for the Revolutionary War, and the Ritz Theater, in service since 1926, in the sector.
Just as busy, Downtown Elizabeth breeds both business and residential properties, with colonial-style homes and apartments filling the area. Also known as E-Port, the Elizabeth Marina sits in the city center, where annual festivals are held along the water. The oldest neighborhood in the city, Elizabethport, has a prosperous past as the home to Singer Manufacturing Company, the developer of the famous Singer sewing machine.
The largest homes are in Westminister, where the Elizabeth River runs off of North Avenue. A more affluent area of town, Tudor and old Victorian style homes can be seen along the freshly mowed landscapes. Peterstown is a more middle-class neighborhood, where immigrated Italian families congregated when they first came to the country in the 19th century. Also known as the Burg, it is pretty clear with all the Italian culture around, you can get a great slice of pizza pie in Peterstown.
Registering Your Car
You have 60 days to get a new license and registration when you relocate to New Jersey. With a valid out of state license, you will be waived from taking a written and driving test. You will need the following identification and address verification to get a driving permit. Identifications needed include, but are not limited to, a birth certificate, marriage certificate, U.S. passport, ATM card, credit card bill less than 90 days old, Social Security card, bank statement or a checking or a savings account statement from a bank or credit union issued within 60 days of the date you apply for the license.
As for a obtaining a New Jersey registration and license plates, you must also provide adequate information. The paperwork needed and process in which you apply will vary depending on whether you have a clean title without a lien, a title with a lien or a leased vehicle. To find out the exact requirements you need, visit the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicle title and registration information page. Both license and registration costs will differ depending on the services provided.
Elizabeth Schools
Elizabeth Public Schools is one of the largest districts in the most densely populated state in the country. Needless to say, providing an excellent education to that many children is an everyday challenge to educators who excel at the task approximately 180 days of the year. Classified as a District Factor Group, an organized sector based on socioeconomic traits, the system serves more than 24,000 students in 26 elementary and six high schools.
While the public school system is popular among many area students, private education is predominant in the province. Saint Mary of the Assumption and Saint Patrick High Schools compliment the Benedictine Academy, an all-girls high school. The Jewish Educational Center, a Yeshiva School, serves all students in one elementary and two high schools, one for boys and one for girls. As for post-secondary schooling, Elizabeth has more than a few four-year schools for students to choose from. Between Rutgers, Seton Hall, Montclair State and William Paterson, young adults have the pick of the liter when it comes to colleges.
Elizabeth Employment
As an Urban Enterprise Zone, area that promotes economic growth and development, Elizabeth has a few "Help Wanted" signs in many of its business windows. The noted $1.5 billion dollars in economic development created through the UEZ keeps locals hopeful while the unemployment rate floats at 12.7 percent.
The major governmental influence of the city, which is the Union County seat, sustains hundreds of jobs even during the recession, making administration a favorable career choice in the area. If you are looking for a more laid back job and think retail may be the right choice for you, Elizabeth, home to the largest outlet mall in the state, constantly has openings at the Jersey Gardens Mall.
If you are a business owner, the UEZ offers many incentives for you to create commerce in the community. Through the UEZ, the sales tax is only 3.5 percent, half of the state average of 7 percent. This inducement has more than 1,000 area businesses participating in the program. There are many reasons to relocate your business to the region, so take time and think about whether you would like to hang your open for business sign in Elizabeth.
Living Costs in the City
CNN Money reports a median family income of $44,520 and a median home price of $170,000. Though these numbers look favorable, the actual cost of living in the New Jersey neighborhoods of Elizabeth are 9.1 percent greater than the state average and 39.8 percent greater than the national average. The high cost of living can be attributed to Elizabeth being only 15 minutes from New York City.
Though the price of livelihood is high, it is a fact that there is more money to made in North Jersey municipalities than any other area in the state. That being the case, many locals and new residents do just fine raising a family in the area as they afford housing, transportation, food and healthcare. It has hard to say exactly what utilities cost since the services vary greatly on usage; however it is fair to say between electric, gas and water, a two to three-person household is around $300 or higher a month for the three utilities. The average cost of a one-bedroom rental in the city, depending on luxury and location, could cost as low as $800 or as high as $2,000.
Elizabeth Moving Resources
Moving and storage companies are ready and willing to help you with your move to Elizabeth, whether you’re moving from out of state or from another county in New Jersey. Make sure you get estimates from multiple moving services before you commit to hiring any (at least three estimates). Check back to our guides for tips on how to choose your moving service wisely with important questions to ask, differentiating between types of estimates, and mistakes to avoid. Visit the following pages at Movers.com to get quotes for the following services:
Elizabeth Transportation
Public transportation is a plus in the province, with the city having one of the highest traveled transit agencies in the country. Midtown and North Elizabeth Train Stations, on either side of town, pick up and drop of thousands of travelers who commute to both work and school in and around town. As for the bus, you can always catch a ride on one of the many New Jersey Transit Authority routes that run directly into the Port Authority Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
As for driving oneself, major state roadways, New Jersey Turnpike and Interstates 95 and 278, serve the area with motorists easily making their way around Elizabeth. However, as noted earlier, there is surely traffic congestion in the city due to the mass amount of people that live in the small New York City Metropolitan Area.
If you are looking to fly out of town, three major airports nearby, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, are available for takeoff and landing, with each less than 45 minutes away.
Culture & Contemporary Life
Suffice to say, being so close to New York City makes Elizabeth a premier place to experience culture and diversity. Considered the melting pot, New York City, has millions of ethnically distinct individuals who all add flavor to the famed metropolis. Able to jump on a bus or train, or drive through the Holland Tunnel themselves, locals love to traipse around the Big Apple, literally taking a bite out of some of the best restaurants in the world. Off course Broadway, Madison Square Garden and Saks Fifth Avenue draw Elizabeth locals to the theatre, stadium and shopping district, but residents do not necessarily have to leave town to have a good time.
With so much to do within Elizabeth itself, family entertainment can always be found along the streets. Though some locals love to stay in the area for a good time, others adore taking long weekends down to the famed Jersey Shore, where miles of beach and sand make for some of the most memorable summers. And if New York or Atlantic City is not what locals are in the mood for, Philadelphia and Boston are but a few hours away.
Elizabeth Relocation Tips
- City of Elizabeth
There is no better way to find about a city than through its government website. Browse the borough's Internet pages and find out about the place you may want to call home.
- Though not New York City, Elizabeth is but 15 minutes from the famous metropolis so tips for moving to a city would be good to know so you don't find yourself trampled underfoot in a subway station.
- Elizabeth Public Schools is a great system for children of all ages. If you are considering schooling your youth in the Garden State, browse the district website and see if your children will thrive in the system.