Mountainside
The borough of 4.0497 square miles has a small population of 6,808 and split from its neighboring town, Westfield, in 1895.
Mountainside consists of mostly single-family homes including bi-levels, split levels, capes, and colonials. Most of the homes in this area were built before 1970. The further you go up the mountain, the higher the prices of the homes, but the better the view of the New York City skyline. Despite the pricing of the homes, the taxes are actually quite low, being the lowest of the 21 municipalities of Union township.
School System
Mountainside offers public schooling for children in kindergarten through second grade at Beechwood School and third through eighth graders can attend Deerfield School. High school students attend Governor Livingston in Berkeley Heights. Union County College is conveniently located near Mountainside.
Commuting
Commuters, there is no need to worry about getting to New York City. It can be done easily since Mountainside is only 25 short miles away. New Jersey Transit bus routes 114 and 117 take residents from Mountainside to Port Authority in Manhattan. This among many other reasons is why Mountainside was ranked 16th in 2008 and 8th in 2010 in New Jersey Monthly magazine’s “Best Places to Live” in New Jersey.
Living in Mountainside
Nervous about not having much retail in your town? Don’t worry; there is a small Victorian-like three-block retail district on Mountain Avenue with some restaurants, a bank, post office, bakery, antique shop, and a shoe store. If you need a shopping mall, that’s not a problem, with the Short Hills and Menlo Park malls within 15 minutes away. Living in Mountainside means enjoying the weather of all 4 seasons. In the warmer months, residents who are members of the Mountainside pool complex can enjoy an Olympic sized, and a children’s pool, as well as a picnic area and basketball court, all for only $190 annually. Four tennis courts are also available for a yearly fee of $20. If you’re into the outdoors, you may enjoy the Watchung reservation and the beautiful Echo Lake Park, which offers fishing, boating, trails, and concerts on Wednesday and Thursday nights in July August.