Monmouth County Creek Town
Welcome to Matawan, a small Monmouth County borough along Matawan Creek, known for its rail access and its place in New Jersey history.
Matawan is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the central part of the state roughly forty miles south of New York City and about thirty miles northeast of Trenton. It sits along Matawan Creek, a tidal waterway that gave the community its identity and, briefly, a place in national history. Aberdeen Township borders the borough, which lies near the Raritan Bay and the northeastern edge of the county. Matawan is perhaps best known for the events of July 12, 1916, when a shark swam far up Matawan Creek and fatally attacked swimmers near Wyckoff Dock. The attacks, which followed earlier incidents at the Jersey Shore, became one of the most famous episodes in New Jersey history and later helped inspire popular fiction about sharks. The creek remains a central feature of the borough's geography and a quiet reminder of that summer. The borough grew as a rail and market town serving the surrounding farmland of Monmouth County, and its compact, walkable layout still reflects that nineteenth-century origin. Older homes, a traditional Main Street, and a dense street grid distinguish Matawan from the larger-lot subdivisions of neighboring townships. Today Matawan is home to roughly 9,600 residents. The borough is served by the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, which educates students from both Matawan and Aberdeen Township, and by a New Jersey Transit station on the North Jersey Coast Line that connects commuters to New York City and the Jersey Shore. Route 79 runs through the borough, and its compact downtown anchors local commerce. For homebuyers, Matawan offers an established, walkable small town with genuine rail access to Manhattan — a combination that has kept it a sought-after alternative to larger suburban townships in the region.
Matawan is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the central part of the state. The borough borders Aberdeen Township and sits roughly forty miles south of New York City.
Matawan is known for the 1916 shark attacks that occurred in Matawan Creek, when a shark swam inland and fatally attacked swimmers near Wyckoff Dock. The incident was part of the famous Jersey Shore shark attacks of that summer.
Matawan is served by the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, a regional public district that provides pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade education. The district serves students from both Matawan Borough and the neighboring Aberdeen Township.
Matawan is roughly forty miles south of New York City and about thirty miles northeast of Trenton. New Jersey Transit rail service on the North Jersey Coast Line connects the borough to both destinations.
Yes. Matawan has a New Jersey Transit rail station on the North Jersey Coast Line, providing commuter rail service toward New York City to the north and the Jersey Shore to the south.
City Guide
Matawan's housing is dominated by older, established single-family homes on compact borough lots, reflecting its growth as a nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century rail town. The stock ranges from historic houses near the downtown and creek to mid-century and more recent homes on the borough's edges. The dense, walkable layout distinguishes Matawan from the larger-lot subdivisions of surrounding townships, and its rail access and proximity to New York City make it a practical choice for commuters seeking a smaller, older community.
Matawan is a compact borough whose neighborhoods radiate from its downtown and the Matawan Creek corridor. The borough's unusual boundary, which divides Aberdeen Township into two non-contiguous sections along Route 79, reflects its long history as a distinct town at the center of the area. Residential streets are predominantly older and established, with the creek, the rail line, and Main Street shaping the borough's layout. The larger Aberdeen Township surrounds Matawan, creating a close working relationship between the two communities.
Matawan offers a small-town, commuter-friendly lifestyle in central Monmouth County. Its compact downtown, creek-side setting, and established residential streets give it a distinctly local character, while the New Jersey Transit station keeps Manhattan and the Jersey Shore within easy reach. Community life centers on the schools, downtown businesses, and the nearby Raritan Bay, and residents benefit from the shared services and amenities of the Matawan-Aberdeen area. It suits those who want a walkable borough with real transit access rather than a sprawling suburb.
Matawan is served by the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District, which provides pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade education for the borough and neighboring Aberdeen Township. The regional district operates a series of elementary, middle, and high school campuses serving the two communities. Families also have access to private and parochial options in the surrounding Monmouth County area, with higher education available at Brookdale Community College and other regional institutions.
Matawan is served by a New Jersey Transit rail station on the North Jersey Coast Line, providing direct commuter service toward New York City to the north and the Jersey Shore to the south. Route 79 runs through the borough, and the Garden State Parkway and Route 34 are nearby for regional driving. The borough's position roughly forty miles south of Manhattan makes it a practical rail-commuter town within the broader New York metropolitan area.
Matawan's recreation is anchored by Matawan Creek and the surrounding parkland, with walking paths, fishing access, and small waterfront areas woven through the borough. The nearby Raritan Bay and its shoreline communities offer boating and beaches, while the larger Monmouth County park system provides trails, sports fields, and open space within a short drive. The borough's rail access also makes a day trip to the Jersey Shore or into New York City's cultural attractions an easy outing for residents.
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