Thinking about moving to Hoboken from NYC?
5 years ago I made the move across the Hudson after 8 years living in the city and today I’m sharing my experience living in both places to help you see which is the right fit.
I think it’s important to mention that I grew up in northern New Jersey (Bergen County) and when I was young all I wanted was to live in the city.
I was excited to get out of the suburbs and move to New York, which I did when I turned 18, with no plans of ever moving back to NJ.
And yet, here I am! I don’t just live in Hoboken—I own an apartment here with my husband, Andrew.
While I do love Hoboken, I also loved living in the city (3 years in Manhattan, 3 years in Brooklyn and 2 years in Queens) and I am the first to admit that Hoboken may not be for everyone.
So let’s talk a little bit more about how I decided to move, some of the biggest considerations that you should seriously think about, and a few of the key differences between NYC and Hoboken.
Moving To Hoboken: Why I Finally Made the Move
Career change
2020 was a pretty chaotic year, and when 2021 started I was feeling a little stuck in my career.
My 9-5 job had changed a lot due to the pandemic (including their decision to close our Soho office and be fully remote) and was starting to seriously consider leaving to focus on content creation full-time.
I also realized that being self-employed in New Jersey would save me money on taxes and health insurance compared to running a business in New York City.
We were also able to reap the benefits of more space for a lower cost of living without losing our proximity to the city, which we both need access to for work.
Proximity to family
Andrew and I are both from New Jersey originally, but were living together in Queens and were feeling a pull to be closer to family after the pandemic.
We almost lost my dad to Covid and during his recovery and while commuting home from Queens on a bus used to be no big deal, it was hard before a vaccine was developed.
Plus, with our parents in New Jersey and Andrew’s siblings in New England, taking buses everywhere worked at first, but we knew how much easier/faster things would be if we could get a car.
We got our car a few months after moving to Hoboken and it’s made a huge difference.
We’re able to get home more and ensure that we can be present for as many birthdays, holidays and other events as possible.
Trying something new
One thing about me is that I have loved living in different neighborhoods throughout my twenties.
I think you get a totally different appreciation and feel for an area when you live there compared to just passing through.
I had already lived in Manhattan (Morningside Heights), Brooklyn (East Williamsburg) and Queens (Long Island City) before making the move to Hoboken.
To be honest, at first I was very hesitant.
It was Andrew who suggested looking for an apartment in Hoboken and my New York City obsessed brain couldn’t quite stomach the idea of leaving, even if it was just across the river.
The great thing about renting is if you move somewhere and you don’t like it, you can leave when your lease is up!
I figured we’d “try” Hoboken for a year and be back in Manhattan exactly 366 days later.
Homeownership in a city
Spoiler alert: not only did we stay in Hoboken, but we are now Hoboken homeowners!
Hobowners? Homebokeners? Whatever you call it, that’s us now!
After 4 years of renting in Hoboken, we started to think about what was next and I knew Andrew wanted to explore buying a home.
One thing I realized through lots of conversations with Andrew is that while I’ve always idolized New York for being New York, what I really love is city living.
I love being in a walkable area, I love the proximity to other people, I love exploring my own neighborhood and yes, even I love mass transit (usually).
Living in New York was my dream for a long time, but it became very clear very quickly that price-wise, buying in Manhattan wasn’t realistic.
We did look at some homes and towns in the suburbs, but weren’t sure where we’d really want to be long-term.
Buying an apartment in Hoboken ultimately satisfied both dreams—city living and homeownership.
Or, as Hannah Montana would call it, the best of both worlds.
Biggest considerations of moving to Hoboken
On paper, Manhattan and Hoboken are so close (less than 2 miles away across the Hudson) but in reality there are things to consider with each location.
Cost of living
It is true that you get more for your money in Hoboken, but it’s not that much cheaper compared to the city.
When we first moved from Queens to Hoboken, we were only paying about $50 more for a bigger apartment (750 square feet compared to almost 1,000 square feet) with a little nook that worked as a mini home office and great amenities like a resident shuttle to the PATH, a pool and a package locker system.
We were also able to rent a spot in the garage to park our car for about $225 a month compared to garages in Manhattan that can charge $350+ for monthly parking.
New York vs New Jersey
This probably goes without saying, but different states have different laws and different rules so it’s helpful to look at how that may impact your life.
Like I mentioned, I wanted to transition to being self-employed from working a 9-5 and found that health insurance and business taxes would be cheaper in New Jersey.
One big reason for this is that people who live in the city also pay an additional NYC tax on top of New York State taxes and federal taxes.
On the other hand, since New York is a bigger city, taxes can help fund things that NJ doesn’t have like the Freelance Isn’t Free Act, which I know lots of freelancers and contractors find helpful for chasing late payments.
This also probably goes without saying but in New York there is more of everything—more restaurants, more parks, more places to live—but if you’ve been craving more of a close-knit feel you’ll like the vibe of Hoboken.
Transportation and getting around
I actually feel like the biggest difference with commuting within NYC and commuting to NYC from Hoboken is the public transit system.
In the city the subway is omnipresent and totally accessible.
In Hoboken, the PATH trains only have one stop that services the whole city, located in the southeast corner of Hoboken.
If you commute to the city for a normal 9-5 job, the public transit runs smoothly and you also have access to buses that run to Port Authority, ferries and the light rail.
However, for me as a freelancer, I often have to make some adjustments if I’m traveling in or out of the city at off-peak hours.
Sometimes I’ll have a lunch meeting or an evening event and will need to leave some extra time to commute.
In general, I’d say I’m still in the city 1-3 times a week depending on the week for both work and for fun.
The west side of Hoboken (from Willow to Jackson street) doesn’t have as much access to public transit aside from the light rail, and even if you transfer to the subway from the bus or PATH, you need to tap to pay again which is an additional fee.
Hoboken does have The Hop, a free shuttle that runs throughout the day, which is helpful.
The last thing that I’ll mention is that even though we have a car here, we really only use it when we’re leaving Hoboken.
Parking is pretty limited here, so I still walk to get groceries, run to the drugstore, eat out, etc.
Neighborhood vibes
I think that Hoboken is a top-tier place to live because of the feeling I get living in the neighborhood.
The neighborhood in the city that felt the most like home to me previously was East Williamsburg, with its parks and brownstones and friendly shop owners, but the feeling is even more amplified in Hoboken.
Hoboken consists of lots of beautiful historic brownstones and most buildings don’t go above six stories, which makes it feel really quaint.
Andrew and I have joked that it feels like the paradise-esque neighborhood in The Good Place.
While downtown is a bit busier with a younger demographic and uptown has more cocktail bars and 30-year-olds, it’s all one distinct neighborhood.
And I know people love to talk about walking everywhere in New York, but I feel like I walk even more in Hoboken because the whole city is one square mile and most destinations would take just as long to drive to as they do to walk to.
I’ve met so many local business owners and made true friends while living here, whereas in the city I’d maybe know one coffee shop owner and didn’t make many neighborhood friends.
Should I move to Hoboken if…
Let’s play a little game to help you figure out if the move to Hoboken makes sense for you!
1. Should I move to Hoboken if…I’m in my early twenties and I just got a job in NYC?
No. I know, I just spent the last thousand or so words telling you all about why I love Hoboken, but if this is your first big girl job and you are excited about moving to New York…do yourself a favor and move to New York!
I absolutely loved living in New York in my early twenties and there was nothing else like it in the world.
Living with roommates, saying yes to last minute plans at 9pm…it’s just its own unique experience.
You can always pop over to Hoboken on a weekend to explore, but I promise you won’t regret living in New York even just for a year, especially to get comfortable with commuting.
If you like the vibe of Hoboken, some similar neighborhoods in the city are the Upper West Side, East Williamsburg, Park Slope and the West Village.
2. Should I move to Hoboken if…I’m in my mid to late twenties and I am looking for a more grounded lifestyle?
Yes! In my mid twenties I started thinking a little deeper into the future.
I started investing my money, establishing routines and making moves to further my career and relationship. Living in Hoboken reflected these areas of my life so well.
I felt like my money went further. I was more consistent with routines and moving into a new space. It also gave Andrew and I more room and space to grow in more ways than one.
If you’re over living with roommates, want to escape the chaos of the city and find meaningful connections without going too far, I think Hoboken is a great move.
3. Should I move to Hoboken if…I love going out and having a good time?
Honestly, also yes! There are tons of amazing bars in Hoboken.
Whether you’re craving a craft cocktail or a can of White Claw, there’s something for everyone.
The bars closest to the PATH have a reputation for being more rowdy (Pig & Parrot, Greenrock, Texas Arizona, etc.). But I’ve also had many fun nights at Finnegan’s, Carpe Diem, the Hoboken Biergarten, Olivia’s and many more!
You can always pop into the city if you want your fix of that. But I prefer to stay in Hoboken on the weekends and hang out here because it’s so much fun!
4. Should I move to Hoboken if…I love Italian food and coffee shops?
Ahh, I’ve found my people! YES. Come here!!
There are so many incredible local coffee shops. Many of which are great if you want to bring your laptop and get some work done.
The Italian restaurants in Hoboken are unmatched—from sit-down spots like Sorellina and Otto Strada to Alessio’s and Vito’s for grab and go sandwiches to ALL THE PIZZA, it’s hard to go wrong.
I haven’t even told you about St. Ann’s Feast or Mutz Fest yet…just come on by and see for yourself.
Again, NYC very much beats out Hoboken with some restaurants (especially for some of my favorite cuisines like Mexican, Thai, and Chinese to name a few). But there are still good options that deliver in both Hoboken and Jersey City.
New York will always have a special place in my heart, but right now I’m very happy to call Hoboken home.
I think I’ll leave it here, but if you have any questions I didn’t answer in this post, feel free to ask away in the comments!
yours,
Austen
PS – want to see what a day in the life living in Hoboken is like? Check out my recent vlog!
Related video:
