Random celebrities abound! If you're a fan of the hit show Band of Brothers, you'll most likely remember some of its most endearing characters, including the one and only Sgt. George Luz. The actor who played him -- Rick Gomez -- hails from South Plainfield. For the younger generation, the bassist for the Jonas Brothers was also born here.
South Plainfield isn't huge, but it's certainly not tiny, either
Random celebrities abound! If you're a fan of the hit show Band of Brothers, you'll most likely remember some of its most endearing characters, including the one and only Sgt. George Luz. The actor who played him -- Rick Gomez -- hails from South Plainfield. For the younger generation, the bassist for the Jonas Brothers was also born here.
South Plainfield isn't huge, but it's certainly not tiny, either. In fact, it's kind of like a middle-ground borough in New Jersey in terms of size, population and rental and home buying prices. The number of people calling South Plainfield home hovers around 23,000 living in under 8,000 households, making it a pretty close-knit and safe community.
Right, so before you move somewhere, what are the sorts of things you want to know? Well, how about real estate prices? They're not too bad as it so happens -- at least, for somewhere so close to the bustle of Manhattan and the suburbs around it. Other boroughs in the area can be a bit more expensive, so you're likely to find a decent range of properties at a variety of prices when you start searching. Be aware, however, that the renter market isn't huge. If you want to rent an apartment or find a studio for rent, you're going to have to strap on your searching boots because nearly 80% of the properties in the area are detached family homes. That said, there's still some scope for singles and couples, with most of the remaining available properties made up of apartment blocks and high rises. In terms of transports, the 114 route takes you straight to Midtown Manhattan, as well as Newark on the 65 route, so transport links are pretty good.
South Plainfield is split between a large neighborhood in the south of the borough and a cluster of small ones in the north. Generally, buying and rental prices are marginally higher in the northern neighborhoods, where access to the coast is slightly easier.
Samptown: A truly suburban neighborhood, the general character and feel of Samptown is largely that of urban sophistication. It's pretty quiet, largely walkable and has a decent percentage of apartment complexes for those seeking premier apartments.
Borough Center: In the northeast you've got Borough Center, nicely bordered by parks and small lakes, with Plainfield Country Club just to the east. As with the entire borough, it has a sophisticated urban feel, and due to the wide streets and parks, is great for those who like to keep on their feet and stay away from the cars and buses.
Plainfield Avenue / Lane Avenue: Right in the center of the northern part of town, you'll find a huge domination of single-family homes, with a severe lacking in other apartment blocks and property types. There's no surprise there, with South Plainfield High School right in the middle of the neighborhood.
Clinton Avenue / Tompkins Avenue: Clinton Avenue /Tompkins Avenue is right in the northwest of town, with prices just about the same as the rest of the borough and higher than about 90% of the rest of New Jersey. It's slightly more urban than the other neighborhoods, although not by much, and also has a high majority of three- to four-bedroom family homes. If you're moving with a family, three-bedroom houses to rent can be found with a little digging.
South Plainfield is also within commuting distance from Manhattan, but without the exorbitant prices required of big-time city dwellers. If you're working in the Big Apple, it's not a bad idea to move to South Plainfield, whether you're part of a family, a couple or just flying solo for now.
