Moving from Bergen County NJ to Montgomery County PA

Here’s what it’s really like moving from Bergen County NJ to Montgomery County PA with 4 kids — the pros, cons, and what surprised us the most.

Everyday life in Bergen County, New Jersey started to feel exhausting for us—mostly because of parking.

Going to the grocery store? No parking.
Dropping off the kids at after school? No parking.
Picking up food from a restaurant? Good luck finding parking.
Even if we wanted to sit down and eat, we had to avoid lunch or dinner hours.

It didn’t feel like suburban life anymore. It felt crowded and stressful.

Even going to Costco felt overwhelming. It always felt like a holiday weekend—even on a random Tuesday morning at 10 AM. The gas line alone could easily take 20 minutes.

Why we chose Montgomery County, PA

We started looking for an area that had everything we needed nearby:

Whole Foods (for produce)
Sprouts (for meat)
Trader Joe’s
Costco / Sam’s Club

That’s how we found Montgomery County, especially Upper Dublin Township.

We also have two dogs, so sidewalks were important to us. One thing we noticed right away—there are so many small parks throughout neighborhoods.

In Bergen County, there are a few large, beautiful parks, but not as many small neighborhood parks.

What feels different (in a good way)

We’ve lived in Palisades Park, River Edge, and Alpine.

In Bergen County, there’s also the Blue Law, so Sundays were quiet with many retail stores closed.

But here in Montgomery County, it feels like every day is a calm Sunday afternoon.

The biggest difference for me?
I don’t have to worry about parking anymore—and honestly, that’s one of my favorite things.

What we miss

My younger kids really miss their summer camp in Bergen County—especially Palisades Country Summer Camp. Out of all the camps they’ve tried, this was their favorite by far.

We tried many camps:

YMCA (Hackensack)
Ramaquois
Lindgren
Northern Valley Sports Academy
Alpine Scout Camp

But Palisades Country Summer Camp really stood out.

Schools: Small vs. Big

When my kids attended Alpine Public School, it was a very special experience.

It’s a small public school, but it almost feels like a private school:

everyone knows each other
strong sense of community

This works really well if you want to be involved as a parent.

Here in PA, the schools are bigger:

more students
less overall parent involvement

That might actually be a better fit for full-time working parents.

My kids absolutely loved Alpine, but they’ve adjusted well here too—and they like it.

What’s better in PA schools

More sports and club options
School bus system (this is huge)

I really love that the county provides school buses. There’s even an app called “Here Comes the Bus” where you can track it.

My son can even take a late bus home after sports games.

Downsides

Sports usually start in 7th grade

Things I really like

The IEP system is well organized and well managed
Public libraries are much more convenient

In NJ, my kids often couldn’t find popular books.
Here, they usually can—and if not, we can request them from other libraries.

Also, in some Bergen County towns, you have to pay around $100 per year to use another town’s library. Here, it’s much easier.

Final Thoughts

Moving from Bergen County, NJ to Montgomery County, PA has been a big lifestyle change.

We traded convenience and density for:

more space
a calmer daily life
easier routines

And for our family, it’s been worth it.

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