MADISON, NJ

MORRIS COUNTY

 
 
 

Welcome to “Rose City”!

Welcome to Madison, known as "The Rose City",  named in honor of President James Madison, a beautiful suburb in Morris County, New Jersey! The Borough of Madison is a small, suburban community in southeast Morris County, New Jersey. Madison borders on five other municipalities: the boroughs of Florham Park and Chatham are to the north and east, the townships of Chatham, Harding, and Morris are to the south and west. Morristown and Summit are nearby, to the northwest and southeast, respectively.

New Jersey Monthly ranked Madison first in its 2019 rankings of the "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey, and 33rd in Money magazine's ranking of the "Best Places to Live" in 2011, the third-highest ranked location in New Jersey and second-highest in Morris County.

Nearly 17,000 residents call Madison home. The bustling business district features top-notch restaurants and retail stores that are owned by Madison residents and have deep roots in town. Madison is proud to host hundreds of local businesses, three colleges, a world-class library, and train station with Midtown direct service to Penn Station in New York City. Madison has a public school system that consistently ranked among New Jersey’s top education programs. Picturesque parks and open spaces are perfect for biking, walking, and other outdoor activities. Enjoy exploring all of the opportunities Madison has to offer, from taking in a show at the professional live theaters to taking a stroll in its historic downtown. 

 

Quick Facts:

Check out some “Quick Facts” here, or scroll down for a deeper look at the ins and outs of Madison!

  • 16,937 in 202

  • Average time to NY Penn is 60 minutes via the Midtown Direct Train Line. Express 55 min trains offered M-F.

  • Madison Public School District ranked #41 in the state by Niche in 2023.

    • 3 Elementary Schools

    • 1 Junior School

    • 1 High School

    • 1 Private School - Parochial School PK-8

    For more details on district rankings click here. For the Madison School District website click here.

  • Madison has many fields, playgrounds, an ice skating rink, a community swimming pool and public tennis courts. The recreation department runs seasonal youth sports programs. The Madison Arts & Culture Alliance also provides many cultural activities for the community throughout the year.

    Visit the Madison Recreation Department website here.

  • If you’re interested in seeing whats on the market in Madison right now - reach out to us here.

Map Key

Coming Soon!

Getting to Madison + Commute

One of the amazing things about Madison is the incredibly easy commute to NYC! With a direct train line running 7 days a week, plus many express options, it is truly a commuter’s dream.

Direct Train to NYC:

  • Madison is served by Morris and Essex line trains of NJ Transit direct to Penn Station in New York City as well as to Hoboken (with connections to lower New York City by the Hudson Tubes.)

  • Train ticket to New York Penn costs $11.75/ride or $336 for a monthly pass. Click here for other fare options.

  • Express trains average at 55 minutes

  • Local trains average at 60 minutes

  • Earliest train usually at 4:43 AM

  • Latest train back usually at 12:56 AM

  • You may access an interactive schedule here. 

NJ Transit Bus:

  • NJ Transit provides local bus service to/from Madison on the 873 and 879 routes.

  • Get more information here

Boxcar Bus:

  • All Boxcar buses are equipped with wi-fi, power outlets, and restrooms to make your ride as enjoyable as possible.

  • Buses pick up directly outside town train stations and offer curbside drop-off throughout midtown

  • 6:15 am/7:00am pickup. Bus will makes stops in NYC along 42nd street and Madison Avenue.

  • Each ticket costs $19.99, or $14.99 with a Boxcar Commuter membership.

  • Discounts available on the Boxcar app with coupon code summit15.

  • In the evening our buses leave at 5:30pm from 6th Ave (just south of 43rd St) and travel directly back to train station pickup locations.

  • Click Here for Boxcar Site

Other Commute Options:

Train Station Parking:

  • For information on Madison Commuter Resident Parking Permits, please visit the Madison Parking page.

  • The parking permit fee is $450.00. Acceptable forms of payment for parking permits are check, money order or credit card (with a processing fee). There is currently a waitlist.

  • Boxcar App allows you to rent local spots nearby as an option

Madison Schools

Madison Public School District is a highly rated, public school district.   There are 3 elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.  Madison Public School District has 2,520 students in grades PK, K-12 with an average student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. 

Madison School DIstrict ranked #41 in the state by Niche in 2023.  For more details on district rankings click here. For the Madison School District website click here.

Madison students can take advantage of great athletic programs, and other extra-curricular activities and clubs.

 Primary Centers: (Pre-K)

 

Elementary Schools: (Grades K-5)

 

Middle School: (Grades 6-8)

High School: (Grades 9-12)

  • Bright Horizons at Giralda Farms

    Madison Cooperative Nursery School

    Madison Montessori School

    St Vincent Martyr School

    Rainbow Montessori School

  • St Vincent Martyr School (PK-8)

  • Drew University

    Fairleigh Dickinson University - Madison-Florham Park Campus

Madison Downtown + Recreation

The Madison Recreation Department and Township provide a variety of activities, special events, and athletics for a wide-range of ages. Read below for some of our favorite local traditions and events, plus information on recreation, art, the local dining/shopping scene, and more.

Madison, New Jersey Fun Traditions + Annual Events:

  • Madison is home to the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, a New Jersey history museum located in the historic downtown district. The building is listed on both the state and national registers of historic buildings. The museum houses a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts and is host to thousands of visitors each year, including school field trips. Details on visiting the museum are available here.

  • At Madison’s annual fall festival, Bottle Hill Day, the community celebrates with games, food, music, and a variety of activities for as many as 20,000 participants. This rain-or-shine street festival spans over six blocks. It includes sidewalk sales, four stages with live music, three Amusement Areas, food, and 225+ vendors, including non-profits, crafters, retail businesses and more. Event details can be found here.

  • Madison is home to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, one of 25 professional theaters in the state. Serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey's only professional theater company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Visit the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, the company's main stage, which is a short walk from Madison's downtown shopping district. Additional information available here.

  • The annual Madison Christmas Committee Parade is one of the most beloved Madison holiday traditions. Beginning at the Madison Ambulance Corps building, the parade proceeds down Prospect Street towards Main Street where it turns left and proceeds up Main Street before ending at Condurso Way. At the conclusion of the parade, the Christmas tree on Waverly Place is lit. For additional information please see the Madison Borough website.

  • The Madison Community Arts Center is a beautiful and modern arts and cultural facility showcasing the creative spirit of Madison. It serves as a venue for local concerts, dance performances, cultural events, and theatrical productions. It is also a great location for art exhibits, lectures, workshops, children’s programs, holiday and film festivals, and more. For more information visit the website.

  • Madison’s Downtown Development Commission sponsors twelve full weeks of outdoor music. All concerts are free and open to the public. They will take throughout the summer in two different venues in Madison on alternating weeks. Find additional details here.

More Information Coming Soon!

How to spend a perfect day in Madison

  • 9:30am - Arrive in Madison:

  • Arrive by NJ Transit train to Madison Train Station. You might recognize it from the 2005 film, Guess Who starring Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher. Madison Train Station and the center of Madison serve as backdrops to this movie, and a panorama of Madison is shown during the final credits!

  • Grab a coffee and a bagel and lox at the local favorite Bagel Chateau near the train station.  

  • 11:00am - Start exploring the Madison shopping scene:

  • 12:00pm - Grab Lunch at one of our favorites:

    • For a creative  “fresh to table” lunch try Harvest Bistro, or for a quick but delicious cafe lunch stop by Butter & Jam. 

    • For dessert enjoy a homemade cupcake at Crowley’s Cupcakes. 

  • 1:00pm - Driving Tour:

    • Take a driving tour to learn about all of the different Madison neighborhoods with a Price Group Buyer Specialist!

  • 3:00pm - Enjoy a walk through nature or history

  • 5:00pm - Treat Yourself

    • Relax with a pint by the fireplace or a cocktail on the patio of the Prospect Tavern housed in a 1880's Tudor building which once housed a coal company, part of the bustling local railroad industry. 

    • Or have a drink at the Bottle Hill Tavern, a historic Madison location, established in 1812 and famously visited by Marquis de Lafayette in 1825. 

  • 6:00pm - Have dinner before heading out at one of our favorite places: 

Back in time…

Madison is located on a ridge of land extending from near Summit northwest toward Morristown. This ridge is made up of the remains of the terminal moraine left by the Wisconsin Glacier more than 10,000 years ago. Low-lying wetlands are on either side of this ridge; the Great Swamp to the southwest and the Black Meadows/Troy Meadows area to the northeast. These lowlands are part of the remains of Lake Passaic, which was formed by melting ice as the glacier receded. Until the lake was drained the higher elevation portions of Madison were on a small island in the lake.

Eventually, the lake drained when the ice receded enough to reveal the Little Falls Gap. However, the signs of the glacier can still be seen around town. There are many "potholes" in Madison, which mark the place where huge chunks of ice were left behind to melt, buried in the rubble which had been pushed forward by the glacier. One of the largest of these is visible from Glenwild Road, on the property of Drew University. In recent years Morris County acquired the "Moraine" property as public parkland. This is part of the outwash plain from the glacier in its terminal position.

This ridge provides a natural route from the Short Hills gap in the Watchung Mountains to the higher country north and west of Morristown. The Minnisink Trail, used by the Lenape Indians, passed along what is now Kings Road in Madison. In 1804, the Morris Turnpike was established along the route of present Main Street. In 1837 (only seven years after the first public railroad in the United States!) the Morris and Essex's Railroad was completed, following this natural ridge through Madison. As a result of being on the "Main Road," Madison developed earlier than many neighboring towns and was heavily influenced by its access to good transportation.

The earliest settlers of European descent arrived about 1715 and established "Bottle Hill" at the crossroads of Ridgedale Avenue and Kings Road. The Luke Miller house at 105 Ridgedale Avenue is thought to be the oldest remaining home in the Borough, built around 1730. Morris County, created in 1739, was divided into three townships. The area in Madison north of Kings Road was in Hanover Township and the area to the south in Morris Township. A meeting house for the Presbyterian Church of South Hanover, as Madison was then called, was started in 1747 where the Presbyterian Cemetery still exists between Kings Road and Madison Avenue. Later, in 1806, Chatham Township was formed, comprising the present Madison, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, and Florham Park, and thus the political division of the village was ended. In 1834, the name of the village was changed to Madison, and in 1889, with a population of 3,250 persons, it seceded from Chatham Township and became a borough in order to develop a local water supply system.

Madison's growth accelerated after the Civil War. The railroad provided good transportation for its farm produce. Later it made possible the establishment of a flourishing rose-growing industry, still commemorated in Madison's nick-name, The Rose City. The Morris and Essex Line became one of America's first commuter railroads, attracting well-to-do families and contributing to the development of "Millionaire's Row," which stretched from downtown Madison to Morristown.

The rose industry and the large estates in the area attracted working-class people of all kinds. As a result, Madison very early developed a varied population, both in terms of socio-economic status and ethnic background. The original settlers were of British stock; French settlers came after the Revolution; Blacks have been members of the community from early in the 19th century; Irish came in mid-century and then Germans and Italians around the turn of the century. To this day there is a substantial community of Italian descent in Madison. Today Madison remains a diversified community.