Some of the country’s first trading ports for early colonial settlers were in Middlesex County. Its prime location in between Philadelphia and New York and proximity to Raritan River and Raritan Bay contributed to its playing a part in the American Revolution.
Now, it hosts Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson (the Band-Aid was invented here), residential communities, major universities, top-tier medical centers like Penn Medicine Princeton Health, theaters, shopping, and restaurants. There are also 18 parks in the Middlesex County Parks System, three public golf courses, and affordable active adult communities.
Shoregate – South Amboy
Below $100k – High $100s
This modestly-priced 55+ community has 114 resale condos designed for low-maintenance living. It’s a tight-knit neighborhood where everyone gets to know each other and enjoys sharing activities. There are 10 models sized from 520 to 990 square feet. They have one or two bedrooms, one or one-and-a-half baths, and assigned parking. Certain units feature waterfront views and private patios.
Residents spend quality time in the party room, community kitchen, music room, lounge, and library. Shoregate also has its own transit bus, which provides transportation for New York City trips (just eight miles away!) and local errands.
Rossmoor Village – Monroe
Below $100k – Low $300s
At the other end of the spectrum is Rossmoor Village, a prodigious active adult community of 2,303 condo, attached, and single-family resale homes. This gated development was designed to resemble an old New England village, with charming touches like old-fashioned street lamps and mature trees.
It also has its own private 18-hole championship golf course. There are over 25 condo and attached home models with sizes from 590 to 2,063 square feet. These have one to two bedrooms, one to two baths, and carport parking, while some also have dens. There are 11 single-family home models, sized from 1,200 to 2,259 square feet, with two bedrooms and two or two-and-a-half bathrooms. Some homes offer dens, garages, or carport parking.
Rossmoor’s large community clubhouse has its own fitness center with an aerobics studio, activity rooms, and two libraries. in addition to that spectacular golf course, there is an outdoor pool, tennis, croquet, and shuffleboard. Homeowners keep busy with the community’s many different groups and activities, including golf, music, culture, religious clubs, movie nights, pickleball, line dancing, and more.
The Club at East Brunswick – East Brunswick
Low $100s – Mid $200s
The Club at East Brunswick is right in the thick of things with a nearby commuter parking lot and easy access to Route 18. This main artery offers all the conveniences that active adults need, like shopping outlets, grocery stores, and restaurants. The Club also provides a shuttle to the East Brunswick Senior Center.
The Club at East Brunswick has condos housed in two-story buildings and feature one or two bedrooms and bathrooms as well as assigned parking. They range from 1,032 to 1,125 square feet. The attached, ranch-style villas feature two bedrooms and bathrooms and detached one-car garages. The three models are sized from 1,074 to 1,228 square feet. Some of the private amenities include a community clubhouse with an exercise room and activity rooms, an outdoor pool, tennis, shuffleboard, and a garden area with a greenhouse.
Whittingham – Monroe
Mid $100s – Mid $300s
Here is another affordable, gated active adult community in Monroe, with 413 condo, attached, and single family resale homes. Whittingham shares a clubhouse with nearby Greenbriar, although there are different models and separate homeowners’ associations.
Whittingham’s condos are offered in two different floor plans from 1,200 to 1,400 square feet and feature two bedrooms and bathrooms as well as a two-car garage. The attached homes come in four models from 1,680 to 1,930 square feet with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and a one or two-and-a-half car garage. The three single-family models range from 1,140 to 1,280 square feet with two bedrooms and bathrooms, and a one or two-car garage.
The shared 30,000 square-foot clubhouse has its own restaurant, an exercise room, an indoor pool, and an indoor walking track. Outside, there is a nine-hole golf course, an outdoor pool and spa, tennis courts, a basketball court, walking and biking trails, and a community garden.
