Are you thinking about moving to Monmouth County, New Jersey, and want to know if it’s a good place to raise a family? In this episode of Monmouth Redefined, I’m going to give you the top five reasons why raising a family in Monmouth County is ideal. I’ll share everything from sports to the community’s diversity so you can see why this is a great place for your family to grow.
I was already living here in Monmouth County before having my twins, Nicholas and Gabriella. While it seems like just yesterday, they just turned 13 and will be completing seventh grade this week. Deciding to raise my children here was a very easy decision for me because of all that the area offers to both children and families.
Sports And Recreation
Number five on the list of why raising a family here is ideal is that it’s a great sports location. Within the county, there are so many different sports options for children to get involved with and explore. Initially, my son started soccer at the recreational level. He also tried basketball, football, and baseball.
In playing recreational soccer, though, my son discovered that soccer was his true passion. He’s now gone on to play soccer at the club level, and he absolutely loves it. He’s made a great group of friends within the team, and the practices games and tournaments help keep him busy. They also limit his time on the phone, social media, and Xbox.
Gabby has found her passion in dance, which she also started at the recreational level. She’s now gone on to the competition level and is part of a studio. They practice several times a week and have competitions throughout the year. This has provided her with great friendship, has helped her self-esteem, and keeps her busy and fulfilled.
Local Activities
The fourth reason to raise a family in Monmouth is that there are so many places in and nearby Monmouth County for kids to visit and enjoy. There are so many activities to do because Monmouth County is located within the central part of New Jersey. Within an hour we can drive, take the bus, or hop on the train and be in New York City. This gives kids the opportunity to explore all that New York City has to offer.
They can visit the museums—which are both entertaining and educational—or go to a Broadway play. There are also great restaurants and all the tourist attractions. Within 20 to 30 minutes, you can also get to numerous beautiful beaches within Monmouth County. Point Pleasant is probably the kid’s favorite because it not only offers a beach but also has a boardwalk with games. Along with Point Pleasant, there are numerous other beaches nearby.
One of the best parts about living here is that Philadelphia also isn’t far—just about an hour away. We also have the mountains in Pennsylvania; you can visit the Poconos, which is great for skiing and snowboarding. Within a few hours, you can drive to Kalahari, Camelback, and the Great Wolf Lodge. All of these resorts have water parks, and Camelback also offers skiing and other winter activities.
Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor are also located near Monmouth County. Many of the locals get season passes so that they can enjoy the parks year-round.
Schools And Education
The number three reason to raise your kids in Monmouth County is that it offers highly-rated public schools, several that are top-rated statewide. Here in Monmouth County, a large percentage of our property taxes go toward public schools. This means the children here truly have a wonderful opportunity to get a great education.
Many of the students go on to pursue higher education, some at the most prestigious colleges in the nation. I am certain you will find that the school systems here are fantastic.
Family Friendly
The number two reason on the list is that there are a lot of families living here already. Monmouth County has so many people, grants, and opportunities for children to meet other children and for families to meet other families.
If you are moving here with younger children, there are several Mommy and Me programs throughout the county. As the children get a little bit older, there are also many great preschool programs as well. My kids started at their preschool at the age of three, and we were fortunate to meet other great families. The friends that Nick and Gabby made when they were three are those we’re still close with today. I also made great friends with many of the moms from the preschool. Many of them I consider my closest friends.
If you are looking to be a part of a church or synagogue, there are so many in the area. This is another great way to meet other friends and families. As I talked about in the beginning, all the sports programs available to kids are another great way to form relationships with other families. However, within my own neighborhood, my kids have several friends. They will go outside, play basketball, ride their bikes, or just hang out in the backyard and enjoy the pool.
The fact that there are so many families living here already—and that it’s easy to form lifelong friendships—makes it a top reason to raise a family here in Monmouth County.
Community And Diversity
The number one reason Monmouth County is a great place to raise a family here is that it’s got a great sense of both community and diversity. This is a bit of a personal one for me because I grew up in Utah. I was quite the oddball because, although my mom is Mormon, my father is Jewish. In Utah (at least back in the 70s and 80s), there weren’t too many Jewish people.
There were several times I felt I didn’t quite fit in. My maiden name is Sakowitze, and that is not a last name you hear too often throughout Utah. In sixth grade, I started coming to New York to visit my father’s side of the family. As I did, I realized there was a whole other world that existed beyond Utah. I knew then that the east coast was where I wanted to live.
Immediately after I graduated high school, I moved to New York City and eventually ended up here in Monmouth County—which I truly consider my home. So many families have relocated here from all over, and it’s so great to meet these people and have my kids experience different types of people and cultures.
Make Monmouth County Your Forever Home
I hope this explained the five reasons why Monmouth County is an amazing place to live and raise a family. If you have any further questions about the area or what it’s like to live here, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I’d be happy to help. I have been living and working in Monmouth County for over 20 years, and I love sharing why it’s such a great place to live.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel so you never miss an episode of Monmouth Redefined, my show all about everything and anything related to Monmouth County, New Jersey. Stay tuned to see what I feature next!
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