Town guide · Somerset County
Living in Bernards, NJ
Most people know Bernards Township by its main community, Basking Ridge. It is a Somerset Hills township with a historic village center, two train stations on the Gladstone Branch, and the edge of the Great Swamp along its eastern side.
- County
- Somerset
- Population
- About 27,800 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 24 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban neighborhoods, historic villages and wooded hills
- Main roads
- Interstate 287 (Exits 26 and 30), Interstate 78 (Exit 33) and U.S. Route 202
First things first
Basking Ridge is not a separate town
Basking Ridge is the main community inside Bernards Township, not its own municipality. Homes with a Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner or Lyons address are generally in Bernards Township and pay Bernards Township taxes. Some Bernards homes even carry a Far Hills mailing address.
Bernardsville is different. It split off from Bernards Township in 1924 and is now a separate borough with its own government and tax rate. When we price or search for a home, we always confirm the municipality, not just the mailing address.
Neighborhoods
Basking Ridge and the older villages
Bernards Township was chartered in 1760 and incorporated in 1798, and parts of it later became Warren, Far Hills and Bernardsville. What remains is mostly known as Basking Ridge, with several smaller historic places inside it.
- Basking Ridge: The township's main community, with a historic village center.
- Liberty Corner: A small historic village in the southern part of the township, with its own post office.
- Lyons: Home to the Lyons VA Medical Center and the Lyons train station.
- The Hills: The Bernards section of this planned community sits atop the western end of Second Watchung Mountain. The rest is in Bedminster.
- Other place names: West Millington, Franklin Corners, Green Knoll, Hardscrabble, Madisonville, Mount Horeb, Stone House and White Bridge.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes in neighborhoods across Basking Ridge and Liberty Corner.
- Condominiums, townhomes and single family homes in The Hills, a planned community built in phases from the 1980s on, with neighborhoods that carry their own association rules.
- Historic homes in and around the Basking Ridge and Liberty Corner village centers.
Worth knowing: A Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, Lyons or even Far Hills mailing address can all mean Bernards Township, so we go by the tax records, not the envelope. In The Hills, each neighborhood has its own association documents and fees, and we review them early. Bernards is in the Highlands Planning Area only, so the stricter Preservation Area rules do not apply here.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Bernards
- 1.711%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $14,7152025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $850,000 on today's market would pay roughly $14,544 a year at Bernards's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Interstate 287 runs through the township, with Exit 26 at Mount Airy Road (County Route 525) toward Liberty Corner and Bernardsville, and Exit 30 at Route 202 and North Maple Avenue toward Basking Ridge. Interstate 78 also crosses the township, with Exit 33 at County Route 525 on the Warren line. U.S. Route 202 also runs through the township. NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch stops at both Basking Ridge and Lyons stations, with service to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Lord Stirling Park: A Somerset County park of more than 900 acres with the Environmental Education Center, hiking trails and a stable with about 10 miles of horseback trails.
- Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge: The federal refuge lies along the township's eastern edge, separated from Lord Stirling Park by the Passaic River.
- Basking Ridge Historic District: The old village center, listed on the National Register. The great white oak that stood here for centuries came down in 2017.
- Liberty Corner: A small historic district in the southern part of the township.
- Southard Park and Harry Dunham Park: Two of the county parks in Basking Ridge, along with Lord Stirling and Rebel Hill.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Bernards
What are property taxes in Bernards, NJ?
Bernards Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.711 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $14,715, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Basking Ridge its own town?
No. Basking Ridge is the main community inside Bernards Township. Homes with a Basking Ridge address are in Bernards Township and pay Bernards Township property taxes.
Does Bernards Township have a train station?
Yes, two. Basking Ridge and Lyons stations are on NJ Transit's Gladstone Branch, with service to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station.
What happened to the Basking Ridge oak?
It was cut down in April 2017 because of decay. The great white oak stood in the Basking Ridge village center and was estimated at about 600 years old.
Where was General Charles Lee captured?
General Charles Lee of the Continental Army was captured by British troops in December 1776 at Widow White's tavern in Basking Ridge. Basking Ridge is the main community in what is now Bernards Township.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Bernards
Buying or selling in Bernards Township?
Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner or The Hills
A house near the old village center and a townhome in The Hills are priced in different ways. We look at the street, the association and the trip to Basking Ridge or Lyons station, then lay out your options plainly.
Call or text either of us directly.