Weighing Mountain Lakes against nearby towns? See how it stacks up on price, schools, and commute → Find Your Town

Want a storybook lake community with historic character, top schools, and true four-season outdoor living — a world away from the city but still commutable? Mountain Lakes is one of a kind. This wooded, tight-knit Morris County borough was planned in the early 1900s around its lakes, and residents swim, fish, and skate right in town. A favorite for families who want a distinctive, nature-first place to put down roots.

🏡 Why buyers love Mountain Lakes
✅ Life on the lakes. Swimming, fishing, and lounging in summer, ice-skating in winter — the lakes are the heart of town (and kept peaceful: no motorized boating).
✅ Iconic historic homes. A planned community from the early 1900s, known for its distinctive "Hapgood" stucco homes, winding tree-lined roads, and a rustic, natural feel you won't find elsewhere.
✅ Top-rated schools. Among the best public schools in Morris County — a major reason families seek it out.
✅ Wooded, private, and peaceful. Strictly residential and heavily treed, with Boonton, Denville, and Morristown minutes away for shopping and dining.

🚉 The commute
Mountain Lakes offers a few ways in. Its own station on the Montclair-Boonton line runs east to Hoboken, where you connect to the PATH — or, for a one-seat ride, drive a few minutes to Denville and catch the Morris & Essex line straight into New York Penn. Prefer the bus? Drive about 15 minutes to the Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center for a direct bus to Port Authority. It's a longer, car-first commute (about 60–90 minutes), with Route 46 and I-80 making driving easy.

📊 Mountain Lakes Real Estate Snapshot (2026)
💲 Median Single Family Home Sale Price: ~$1.25M (a small, distinctive market — few sales, so the figure moves around)
📈 Market Trend: Up over the past year, with about 2.8 months of supply — a bit more inventory than the tightest towns, homes selling in around two weeks.
✨ Buyer Insight: Smart pricing is key. Sellers here often list below market to spark multiple offers.