Millburn & Short Hills Real Estate
A mill-town center and a planned residential landscape within the same township, with separate rail stations.
Millburn and Short Hills offer two related but distinct settings. Downtown Millburn has the commercial center and a river-valley history; Short Hills is more closely identified with residential roads and landscaped house sites. Short Hills is part of Millburn Township, not a separate municipality.
History and architecture
Millburn’s name records the mills that once used the river. In the late nineteenth century, Stewart Hartshorn developed Short Hills as a planned residential community, working with the terrain rather than imposing a uniform street grid. Older houses and later construction now sit within that landscape, while Millburn’s center retains a different scale and rhythm.
Transit and the NYC connection
Millburn and Short Hills stations are on NJ Transit’s Morris & Essex rail network. The two stations create different local search areas, and a house elsewhere in the township may still require a drive. The relevant service and Manhattan connection should follow the intended trip.
The property market
The first choice is between closer access to the center and a more separated residential setting. Architectural quality, grounds and station proximity can matter as much as interior area. For NYC owners, the destination search can be paired with an apartment valuation and seller-cost estimate; the inbound direction requires its own NYC purchase budget.
Property tax
About 1.34% of the purchase price a year: roughly $26,700 on a $2M house, within a range of $22,700 to $30,700.
Estimate for Millburn Township. The municipality’s general tax rate (county, municipal and school combined), converted to market value with the state’s equalization ratio. Rates as of October 2026; sources are listed in the calculator.
A sale does not reset the assessment here, so the seller’s current bill is the number to underwrite. Ask for it, and check for exemptions (STAR, senior, veteran) that will not transfer.
Run the numbers for a specific house: mortgage, tax, insurance and upkeep →
Buying, selling or planning a move?
Share the property address and your plans to discuss a valuation and the next steps. The closing-cost calculators above estimate the taxes and fees on a purchase or sale here.