The unusual facilities that once occupied Secaucus included a penitentiary, lunatic asylum, an almshouse and a quarry. However, the industries that gave the town a less-than-fragrant reputation were more than 50 pig farms, where the porcine creatures outnumbered humans by 16 to one. Thankfully for residents with sensitive noses, the last of these pork-related industries closed in the 1950's.
The preponderance of single-unit homes, lack of residential and commercial towers, a nearby river and over 20 parks grant residents of Secaucus a welcome suburban respite from the urban ills of New York City. If you work in logistics, warehousing or distribution, you don't even have to leave the community to find employment; the town is a major center for those industries. Job growth within the town is expected to equal or exceed that of the rest of the country, according to Sperling's Best Places.
Moving to Secaucus
Your potential landlord is interested in three main things when you apply for a rental.
Do you make enough money?
Most management companies want to confine your housing expenses to no more than a quarter of your pretax income. One way to improve this factor is to pay off as much of you existing debt as possible. Fewer expenses mean you're more likely to have money each month to pay your required fees.
What's your credit?
Landlords study your credit report to find out how good you are at meeting your financial responsibilities. If you want to see what they see, order your report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If it lists bankruptcies or foreclosures, you won't necessarily be excluded from renting. But if you owe money to another apartment complex, you may find it difficult to find a rental anywhere.
What kind of a tenant are you?
The only way your potential apartment managers can answer this question is by asking about you from your previous landlords. Give them a positive heads-up by asking your current and previous landlords for letters of recommendation. Enclose copies of these good vibes with your rental application.
Neighborhood
AreaVibes ranks Secaucus as extremely livable, with a score of 79 out of a high of 100. The town scores an A+ for amenities such as groceries, shopping, parks and entertainment. It scores a C for weather, given its location in the northeast part of the country. The B+ for employment comes from an income per capita that's slightly greater than the New Jersey average and far higher than the national average.
In terms of violent and property crime, Secaucus is safer than the state, according to NeighborhoodScout. Your chances of becoming a victim of violence is only 1 in 1,032 in the town, compared to 1 in 345 for New Jersey.
All types of homes are scattered about the city's four main neighborhoods.
Northern Secaucus: Want single-family places for rent in Secaucus? You'll find them in this neighborhood with options ranging from Cape Cod style to split level. If you value green (natural, not monetarily), you'll enjoy the proximity to Schmidts Wood Park, Mill Creek Point Park and Hackensack Meadowlands Conservation Area.
Town Center: If a shopping bag and charge card are your primary fashion accessories, you can display them at this retail hub. Housing tends toward the medium and small with rental apartments in buildings with two, three or four units. Depending on who you ask, The Plaza at Harmon Meadows, a major collection of stores, is either part of this neighborhood or belongs to Northern Secaucus.
Circle Avenue and Ups Drive: Vintage lovers can enjoy the walkable, well-established and tree-lined streets on foot here to admire the residences built before 1969. The maturity of the surroundings makes this the most desirable (and least affordable) community in the city.
Southern Secaucus: This area is popular with commuters because the Secaucus Junction Train Station offers traffic-free access to Newark, Hoboken and Manhattan. You're in good company with your search for apartments because most of the residents are renters. In the highly desirable Harmon Cove, you won't find rental apartments because it's a condo community. If you can score a unit for lease, you can enjoy community swimming pools, basketball courts and playgrounds that nobody else in Secaucus can.
Life in Secaucus
The southern part of town acts as the center for light manufacturing and industry, forming a convenient base if you work in those businesses. It also contains the main draw for shoppers outside the town: outlet centers. Manufacturers' outlets boast big bargains, especially when compared with stores in New York City. You can also find warehouse outlets here, with buying typically confined to the stores in the front. However, occasionally, the storehouses in the back open to the public for exceptional finds.
For outdoor activity that costs nothing, try Mill Creek Marsh, a 209-acre wetlands preserve that's home to over 260 types of birds, including shorebirds and 15 endangered species. The 1.5-mile-long Mill Creek Marsh Trail provides a convenient vantage point for bird-watching.
To view fowl from the water, you can rent canoes and kayaks at Laurel Hill Park. The recreational area also features lighted ball fields, a walkway fronting the river and public boat ramps for launching your own vessel.
The annual Hometown Street Fair gathers residents together for three days of musical performances, craft booths, food, rides and carnival games. The Meadowlands Exposition Center plays host to some of the region's biggest trade shows and events from talent competitions to design shows. The center offers 6,000 free parking spaces and is ringed by restaurants, entertainment and retail for pre- and post-event delights. If you don't mind hopping across the river, you can indulge your passion for thoroughbred and harness racing at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Secaucus acts as a convenient residence for those who need easy access to New York but want less-crowded suburban living. NJ 3 and part of the New Jersey Turnpike allow easy access by car to nearby cities. The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction train station, with over 1,000 parking spots, puts Manhattan about 10 minutes away. New Jersey Transit provides bus service and Newark Liberty International Airport handles air transportation.
