Considering moving to Hackettstown - Please lend us your thoughts!
Hi everyone - Hoping a few of you would be kind enough to give me some opinions. My wife and I are a mid-thirties couple with two children (1 and 6). We are considering a move to the new development near the Hospital - I work near Parsippany. Wondering if some of you could give me some opinions.
Schools:
We see that the Willow Grove school seems to be a great grammar school - Can anyone confirm/deny this with comments?
Hackettstown Middle School seems good also - Can anyone confirm/deny this with comments?
Hackettstown High School - Have heard that its not that great, can you confirm/deny - What other schools are options (private)?
Community:
We are Polish and Italian - Curious about demographic, any thoughts on a Polish or Italian type community?
Thought it was great that there was a St. Patrick's day Parade this year - Any other really nice community events like this?
Would you consider Hackettstown to be for the most part empty nesters/families, run-down/nice, etc - Candid opinions welcome!
Recreation:
Hackettstown public pool - Any info, dirty/clean, worth it?
Things to do for children - sports, etc?
What are the parks like - Saw the one behind willow grove school - Any others that are more common, nicer?
Family needs:
I see there is a Shop Rite and an A&P, are these specific ones any good? Newer or very old, etc?
ANYTHING else you'd like to say to sway us for or against would be VERY appreciated. Thanks!
-Anth
Anthrwf
Town is a great place to live, have raised my family here and we are very happy. The school system is very good and we have had no problems at all. The town does try several event thru out the year including a spring festival(carnival) Memorial Day parade,Santa comes to town every year on a fire truck,Main street street festival. The town pool is a great complex just a little crowded on nice days. The are Basketball,Softball-Baseball,Soccer,Wrestling,Field Hockey ,Cheerleading -Football activatys for the kids. The development by the hospital seems to have alot of younger kids in it. Shop rite is nice a older store but re-modeled a few years ago,A&P is fairly new as is the Wiess market. Taxes are getting a little outragous but thats the same evrywhere. Good luck in your decision
Hi I work in Parsippany Love living in Hackettstown great feeling of community if you like a relatively quite life this is the place to be....I've lived in the immediate area over 37 years it's all small town USA if that's what your into. Schools are good I raised my two sons good education very family oriented knew all my sons friends and families a feeling of safety...You still have to be careful but generally speaking it's pretty safe up here.
I think the majority of the questions have been answered. I don't have kids so I can't answer the school questions from that standpoint. However I do seem to remember the Middle School won an award awhile ago. And I hear good things about Willow Grove, but then one of my employee's wife works there, and so does the next door neighbor. ;-) I think this forum has had quite a bit of discussion about the high school - however at least in my opinion that's been far more very prejudiced views, in both directions, about the state of the educational system and not the specifics of the local high school. (you can judge for yourself) But one of the things that was mentioned is that the advanced placement statistics are different than they appear. There's some kind of program where seniors go to actual college classes instead of earning AP credits. There is a Catholic School here, St Mary's which goes up to 8th grade.
With that out of the way, there are a number of neighborhoods with somewhat different feel to them. The new development (Hunters Brook) and the one built next to it (Brook Hollow, where I happen to live) have plenty of families just like yours. I suspect you'd fit right in at either one. There are a number of parks although I'm not sure what you're referring to - it sounds like their playground, not an open park. There's a park as you drive there on Willow Grove St. by the Legion. There's also state parks right near by, with trails but not playground type parks.
As far as Italian and Polish, there's plenty of mix in our area. It's not Polish, but our town does has a sizable group of east Europeans - Bosnians. There's a mix of Asians and Hispanics so it's nicely diverse. There may not be a specific "Italian American" or "Polish American" club, but you'll fit right in.
Judging by the questions you're asking about, I think you'll find most of the feedback positive.
GC 
I agree with the previous posters. Although I do not live in Hackettstown proper, I am just outside of Hackettstown. My children went to elementary school in my township, but did attend Hackettstown High School. It may not be the best school in the state, but I feel my children got a good education. They all got into the colleges of their choice and are doing well in their careers. Education in a large part is what you make of it.
I don't know what your religion is, but in Great Meadows, which is about 5 miles west of Hackettstown there is a Catholic church that has a large Polish population. The pastor of the church is Polish and there is a mass said each Sunday completely in Polish.
We moved here 37 years ago from Essex county. It was very different up here from where we came from. But at this point I couldn't think of living anywhere else. As someone previously said, "It's small town U.S.A.".
A couple of years ago, Hackettstown was listed as the 10th best place to live nationwide. I think that says a lot!!
I would consider surrounding towns (Independence, Allamuchy, Long Valley). Hackettstown has very high taxes and no school buses. Schools have a very high ESL population.
Long Valley would be the best in terms of schools. Independence and Allamuchy have their own K-8 districts and go to Hackettstown HS. Private schools are extremely expensive. Blair Academy in Blairstown would be an option, but at approximately 30K per year, not sure if it is feasible.
Pasippany commute can take 40 minutes up to and over 1 1/2 hours on Rt. 80. Hackettstown does have quite a few nice events each year. The next one may be the Spring Festival, which is wonderul!
Hackettstown pool is clean and COLD (no heat). Very reasonably priced and fun. Lots of rules about food, toys, etc. It can be very crowded.
Shop Rite is the best. Fresh food, but can be crowded. Weis is not always fresh and I have purchased things that have expired. A&P is more expensive.
There are many children in the area. Lots of great parks.
N & A & E Boys and girls scouting programs. Ice skating rink - roller skating rink. Swimming lessons offered at pool. Also Halloween parade. Easter egg hunt at M&M. Library has story hour for little ones. Centennary College runs stage productions and children's workshops.
Thank you for all your opinions, I appreciate the time you took to express your thoughts - So far good things to hear. If anyone else would like to share, please do. Thanks so much again!
I would agree with the others, Hackettstown is a great place for families.
The park off of willow grove has a play area for the kids, and basketball court and walking path which is very nice.
The A&P is is more expensive but they have some higher end products you may not find at the Shoprite. It all depends what your looking for that day :)
Not sure if you are aware we also have a Target and a Walmart in Mansfield which come in handy.
The feedback here is very thorough, Anthrwf, so I won't duplicate it. However, if you need information on the houses in Brook Hollow or any other neighborhood here in town, and don't already have an agent, I am able to help you. I have worked for more people in Brook Hollow than any other agent in the last 6 or 7 years and would happy to help you, too.
Beth Noble
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
cell: 908-303-5817
Beth@BethNoble.com
http://BethNoble.com - Property Search of everything on the market
*A Noble Approach to Real Estate*
I am thinking of moving from the College View Section. It is across from M&M Mars. If you are interested let me know. We can discuss off line if you are interested.
The only other thing I would say that the others have not, is look at the entire area including Mansfield. Lots to offer in that town as well. I know for sure that the development behind Shoprite has lots of underpriced homes right now.
ok so a lovely picture has been painted
so I'll just throw in the negatives since no one else will
not that i don't think Hackettstown is a good enough place to live but there are as many good points as bad.
I have found that the services provided have declined as the taxes go up. an example would be heavy trash pick up which the town no longer does. you can drop off stuff a few times a year.
The school system is fair at best. I think the teaching style tries to be progressive but I'm a traditionalist. The school system buys text books that try too hard to find newer but not always better ways to teach and the teachers are kind of stuck in the middle. I once told a teacher at a parent conference that I told my 4th grader to go ahead and learn a particular math method , pass the test and then forget this method. the teacher agreed.
We had a school board member who was pushing to have mandatory drug testing for kindergarten students and up. Come on now , drug testing 5 year olds. I will say first off I'm against any drug testing of students by schools. We have mandatory drug testing for all students who participate in after school activities such as sports or music. treat the kids as criminals only after they commit a crime.
The public pool is a bargain. It gets very crowded. I would like to see a ban on out of town users unless they are with pool members. My son on the other hand refuses to go to the pool. He says it's disgusting. Lots of hair and other things floating in the water.
As noted we have pretty much all your shopping needs within a few miles of town. Several dining choices as well.
I have found the residents to be good people. I moved here simply because it was just about the only North Jersey town we could afford and I think many others moved here for the same reason.
I refer to Hackettstown as the edge of civilization. We have all of the basic needs right here. You go east and you start finding the crowded areas of Morris county. you go west and you're in farm country , which i like.
as far as things to do for children , there are many options. both ice and roller skating rinks. plenty of recreational sports programs. you can find music schools in town and nearby. I like the Music Tree west of town on 46. there are several summer camps and programs. and of course a plethora of other kids to be friends with.
good luck with your decision
cbgpzb There are plenty of places in Sussex and Warren County that are cheaper then Hackettstown.
People move to Hackettstown because it has all the convinces of a suburb like Parsippany with less riffraff. The crime rate is low in comparison to most built up towns in NJ. We have a hospital and a College which most towns do not have.
Our school system is in the top half of the state, but clearly close to the middle. In comparison to Sussex and Warren County it is comparable. If you compare Hackettstown to Morris County it is behind, but Hackettstown is much less expensive. Those towns pay their teachers far more as well.
Hackettstown might be one of the most convenient towns in NJ with beautiful scenery. It is surrounded by rural America yet clearly has all the convinces of a NJ town.
Matt 
FYI - The pool can't be closed to non-residents as it was built with Green Acres state funding.
We just moved to Hackettstown from the mid-west last year. I ditto with all of the positives that everyone is saying--and will emphesize how nice the people are here.
Be careful when looking for houses and comparing school districts. We bought a house with a hackettstown addrees, but live in Mansfield township. We thought that our kids would be going to hackettstown schools b/c that's what realtor.com said. Instead they are going to mansfield elementary school which, in my opinion as a former educator, isn't as good as where we came from. I would have paid more and gotten less of a house and moved to long valley if I knew what I know now.
Also, last year we bought season passes to a small amusement park about 25 min. from here and had a blast! It's suitable for kids 8 and younger. They also have a small water park. We enjoyed going to Oxford lake as well. They have a very beautiful beach which is about 25 min. away.
jpmp24 Moving to Hunters Brook?
Would love to know what they are offering you? Which model were you looking at?
newhackettstowngirl myaman - Turning into Parsippany is not necessarily a bad thing. And as far as being ruined, even if you want acres without any neighbors you can still get that in the surrounding areas.
Wonderful people, fantastic sense of community - people really care about each other. Schools are great - from the elementary schools to the high school. It's all about a sense of "it takes a village" to raise our youth. Students are graduating from the high school and attending very competative colleges - a good "bang" for our tax bucks.
Two things that can't be stressed enough ..........
1 - I got so fed up commuting from here to Parsippany each way during rush hour that I quit my job. Who knew that the economy would get so bad that there are NO jobs available in the area. That commute ruined my life!
2 - There's been a big jump in break ins and robberies in the past year, though I don't know how Hackettstown compares to surrounding towns. I personally know 3 other families that had break in, and they're not in the same area.
Be sure to weigh all the facts before diving in!
Linda Myamen I grew up in Parsippany graduated high school in 1990. I can assure you Hackettstown is nothing like Parsippany of today.
Is Hackettstown like Parsippany of 1980? Mayb but on a much smaller scale.
Parsippany has RT 80, RT 287, RT 280, RT 10 and a major part of RT 46 running through it.
Hackettstown will never be like Parsippany as far as the development, traffic and business that is there.
One of my favorite things about the Hackettstown Schools is the ease with which parents can get involved. There is a strong committment among most of the parents to support the programs and co-curricular activities, and the schools welcome it.
My wife and I moved here in 2003 and couldn't be more pleased. She is from Bergen County (Ramsey) and I moved to NJ in 2001 from Gainesville, Florida. Hackettstown is thew right mix for me as it combines rural atmosphere with histporic buildings and good, friendly people. I have a lot of friends in and around town and they are as good as gold. The town is tightly knit and a great place to live. I worki in Maplewood, and I don't mind the commute at all.
What areas can I move to to attend Hackettstown High school?
Townhouses/condos/ apartments/ houses?
faithindreamsx3 
Caged Animal The only real way to see what Hackettstown is like is to spend some time here...come here at different times of the day and week...walk around Main St...drive around town...that should give you a good idea of what this town is like .
PREDATOR Here is the link for this year's rankings...but of course that does not tell the whole story.
http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/highschoolrankings/top-high-schools-2010.html
I have lived in this area all my life, Chester, then Long Valley to Califon , back to Long Valley and now hackettstown. I have traveled alot and always want to be around here. A skip to rte 80 and either city stuff or west to Pa. Lots, I mean lots of fantastic parks and hiking areas around. People are pretty much cool here, dont have kids so I do not know the school system, I went to West Morris Central for HS. Pool is ok but you can do stuff in the local rivers too.
sandy "Our school system is in the top half of the state, but clearly close to the middle."
~Matt~
Really????? #237 out of 316???? Top half?? Close to the middle????
"Those towns pay their teachers far more as well."
Really?????? The charts don't support this.
Christine YKW....hmmm better check your glasses...things are getting better at Hackettstown...191 in the latest ranking.
HHS always been in the middle which for non-surburan school with diverse (college, non college) population is OK, not stellar, but OK. So, if self motivated, kid will do fine. If slacker, uh oh. But in a high ranking surburban school, slacker would be worse off.
Hackettstown Harold acl76 -
That's great for the kids! Can you show me where that info is available?? I was not aware the latest rankings have come out, as yet? (I don't wear glasses... no need for snarky comment.... or popcorn)
Never mind... got it. Congratulations on the improvement. Let's hope the momentum continues. Disturbing to see Mountain Lakes dropped from 4th to 9th...
It's great for when your kids are that age, once they start hitting 18 and such they'll be very bored around here. Don't get me wrong, Hackettstown is a great place to raise a family, but for the younger crowd, there's absolutely nothing around here.
YKW I wrote that post in March 2009. That would be a year and a half ago. Get a grip. A school system is not just the high school. The Hackettstown school system is a good one. The high school does just fine in comparison to Warren and Sussex County. If your going to compare the high school to Morris County it will be near the bottom. Morris County is the 7th wealthiest county in the Nation. You need to compare apples to apples. The community has plenty of pride!
Anth,
Would you be willing to share where you are moving FROM? This would help me/us say, well, here's what might be different in Hackettstown from what you may be used to now.
For example, I moved from Montclair. In Hackettstown, I miss the evening-life -- all the people outside, shopping, going to restaurants, and generally enjoying the downtown area at night -- that's what I most missed when I first moved here from Montclair.
Rebecka I think Anth disappeared a year and a half ago after staring this thread, haha
Lori...since '73 Polish and Italian? you mean right off the boat? If you are looking for ethnic things, you would be better off in New York.
blackcat 
cbel 
Tweety Great town, great schools, GREAT COMMUNITY CARING!! However, I need to talk about the elephant in the room...ran an errand last night about 7. On EVERY STREET (6 +) and on main street all spanish men, women and children loitering. Everyone wants to spend time outside, but it was like being south of the border. Main St. and above is out of control. I don't deny anyone this great country, but this issue is not being addressed in our community. I'm all for process, however, I work for a civil service agency...These illegal families receive food stamps, healthcare, housing and anything else they need, while the rightful masses are denied benefits after working and paying taxes for 20+ years. Immigration status needs to be ENFORCED...PERIOD!
Not a Hater ON EVERY STREET? In Hackettstown? I lil over exaggeration dont you think?
Hmmmm wasnt on my street! Amazing I was on Main St. Last night at 7:10 til about 8pm. Near the Ice cream store with a bunch of people. Then we were across the street on a porch which is my friends house. None of us were latino! Polish, German, Italian, Welsh and French AMERICAN maybe. So what are you?
Moved here ~19 years ago...loved it then...now not so much...Willow Grove school was awesome...Middle School is a mess (blue ribbon my ass)...High School block schedule is a disaster.
Community aspect is still great...but once they start on Bergen Tool property, I think we will bolt.
Taxes ~8000 for a tiny corner lot...they pick up leaves a couple of times and little else...oh but they will plow an inch of snow all night.
looking west...or south...
Coach If you want a nice area go out to Independence good schools, nice countryside & just 10 minutes away. Much nicer area, better houses for the same money & a yard! We lived in the old side of Hunters Brook then moved out to Independence we and our 3 kids are much happier! Not as quicka drive to the store, but we have Nykuns that has everything and St Peter & Paul RC Church even has mass in Polish! No ESL issues here...
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