Franklin Park

Living in Franklin Park offers residents comfortable suburban living in established neighborhoods with plenty of room between neighbors. Neighborhoods embrace rustic charm among vast acres of open farmland and winding back roads shaded by towering oak trees. Located in the heart of New Jersey’s Franklin Township, Franklin Park is situated between the D & R Canal and major thoroughfares like Route 27. “The convenience of having the bus route along Route 27 and the Princeton train station minutes away is probably the biggest thing that brings people here,” says Richard Keri, a Realtor with RE/MAX Diamond who has been selling homes in New Jersey for over 20 years. The bus travels from Princeton to New York City, making it easy for residents to traverse the 40 miles to the Big Apple.

Franklin Park is a collection of neighborhoods offering homebuyers a variety of housing options and styles. “There’s a wide range of high-end homes and more affordable options, and the area has both single-family homes and condos,” says Keri. In the center of Franklin Park, homebuyers in the quiet neighborhood of Sunset Hill can get a three-bedroom ranch-style home for around $385,000. Along the D & R Canal, homebuyers can find 4-bedroom colonials on about an acre of land for $675,000 to $750,000. Homebuyers can also find several custom-built homes on sprawling estates scattered throughout Franklin Park. These homes boast anywhere from four-to-five bedrooms, on one-to-six acres of land, with prices ranging from $1.1 million to $1.6 million, depending on the lot size. There are also numerous condominium communities in Franklin Park, including Kingsberry Acres where homebuyers can find two-bedroom condos from $400,000.

Residents in Franklin Park enjoy access to sections of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail, a multi-use trail spanning over 70 miles along the D & R Canal. The entrance is in the western portion of the community along the Griggstown Causeway and locals can enjoy running or biking along the trail. Those looking to get in the water can stop by the Griggstown Canoe and Kayak Rental before paddling down the canal. In the center of the community, the Six Mile Run Reservoir Site offers 13.5 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding through open farmland. To the east, Delar Park has a baseball field, basketball court, playground and covered picnic area. Locals also enjoy access to the neighborhood’s Bunker Hill Golf Course, a public 18-hole course along the Ten Mile Run tributary.

Children in the area attend the Franklin Township Public School District, which earned a B from Niche and has an average student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1. From K-5, younger students attend Franklin Park Elementary School before moving on to Franklin Middle School, with both schools earning a B-minus from Niche. Teens attend Franklin High School, which earned a B-plus and offers students a Career and Technical Education Program intended to help prepare them for the workforce. Private school options in the area include Rutgers Preparatory Academy, which serves grades K-12 and earned an A-plus from Niche.

The eastern portion of the neighborhood is lined with shops and restaurants along the Lincoln Highway, meaning residents don’t have to travel far to run errands. Locals can stock up on groceries at Stop & Shop, one of several grocery stores in the area. In the Franklin Towne Center, Samudhra Premium Restaurant and Lounge serves authentic Indian food in a cozy atmosphere. Other local favorites include Dusal’s, a casual Italian restaurant known for their homestyle pizzas served by the slice or by the pie, and the Franklin Park Diner, a classic American diner that serves breakfast all day. Residents are also just 6 miles from Route 1. “On the Route 1 corridor, you’ve got pretty much everything. There’s Costco, Target and Home Depot,” says Keri. Closer to home, the neighborhood’s Griggstown Farm boasts over 65 acres of farmland and sells fresh poultry, quail eggs, produce and more at the Griggstown Farm Market. The market also sells seasonal favorites like homemade chicken pot pies, fruit pies and fresh soups.

Written By

Sally Stimpson

Video By

Paris Lape