It gets a lot of hate because of the college kids, half the downtown they avoid though. There is also a not great part of town there which is between one of the college parts and the more professional hang out down town.

I live across the river in highland park and go to New Brunswick all the time. It is fine, it has bars and restaurants, an escape room, a smash shot place, but you will need a car 1000%.

You aren’t going to get everything in a downtown ticket in NJ, make sure you look at a wider area around where you are thinking of living. It has to be more than just a down town. Good luck! And when you get here make sure to check out other areas!

its a college town but its always being built up. has a slight hood area, kind of shitty food compared to the rest of NJ which doesn't really make sense but it kind of does because again its a college town. NJ has incredibly good food all around then its just meh there. there are tons of little towns with trains to NYC around the area too you could live. if you have to be in office every day, I'd just choose to live closer to your office and to take a train or drive to the city on weekends. you'll spend way more time in a car driving back and forth than on a train once a week