Town guide · Middlesex County
Living in Jamesburg, NJ
Jamesburg is a small, older borough of under one square mile, completely surrounded by Monroe Township. It grew up around a mill James Buckelew built in the 1800s, and Thompson Park and Lake Manalapan sit along its southwestern edge.
- County
- Middlesex
- Population
- About 5,800 (2020 census)
- Size
- Just under 1 square mile
- Setting
- Small, older borough with a compact town center
- Main roads
- County Routes 522, 612 and 615, with the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 8A in neighboring Monroe
First things first
Jamesburg Borough or Monroe Township?
Jamesburg is its own borough, created in 1887 from part of Monroe Township, and Monroe now surrounds it completely. The two towns have separate governments and separate property taxes.
They also share the 08831 ZIP code, so a Jamesburg mailing address does not always mean a home is in Jamesburg Borough. We confirm the actual municipality and block and lot on every property, because that decides the tax rate and town services.
Neighborhoods
A town that started with a mill
James Buckelew established a mill that became the center of the town. The borough's name comes from a school he paid for at Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue, built so that it was open to all children. The school was named for him, and that name became the town's name.
Jamesburg is the older, more built up core of the area, and nearly everything in town is a short drive or walk from the center. Thompson Park wraps around the southwestern edge of the borough.
Homes
What you will find
- Older homes in town: Houses on compact lots along the borough's older streets, close to the town center.
- Historic properties: A few landmark buildings remain, including the Buckelew Mansion, which began as a single room in 1685 and was enlarged after James Buckelew moved in in 1829.
- Homes near the park: Streets along the southwestern side of town sit close to Thompson Park and Lake Manalapan.
Worth knowing: Jamesburg and Monroe share the 08831 ZIP code, and Monroe wraps around the borough, so the mailing address alone can mislead. The two towns have separate tax rates and services, and we confirm the municipality on every home before we talk about price. Homes near Manalapan Brook and Lake Manalapan also get a flood map check.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Jamesburg
- 2.631%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $8,7442025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $350,000 on today's market would pay roughly $9,208 a year at Jamesburg'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
No interstate, U.S. or state highway runs directly through Jamesburg. County Routes 522, 612, 615 and 625 carry traffic through town, and Route 612 connects to the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 8A and Route 32 in Monroe Township. There is no passenger rail in Jamesburg. The old Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. Middlesex County's M1 shuttle runs between Jamesburg and the New Brunswick train station. Most larger shopping is in surrounding Monroe Township.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Thompson Park: The largest park in the Middlesex County park system, about 675 acres in Monroe and Jamesburg, with trails, sports fields, picnic groves and fishing.
- Lake Manalapan: A 30 acre lake made by damming Manalapan Brook, on the eastern edge of Thompson Park, open to fishing and rowing but not motorboats.
- Buckelew Mansion: A historic house on Buckelew Avenue, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, now a local history museum run by the Jamesburg Historical Association.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Jamesburg
What are property taxes in Jamesburg, NJ?
Jamesburg Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 2.631 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $8,744, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Jamesburg part of Monroe Township?
No. Jamesburg has been a separate borough since 1887, when it was created from part of Monroe Township. Monroe now surrounds it on every side and the two share the 08831 ZIP code, but each has its own government and property taxes.
How did Jamesburg get its name?
The name comes from James Buckelew, whose mill became the center of the town. He paid for a school at Church Street and Gatzmer Avenue that was open to all children, and the school's name, and later the town's, came from him.
How do you get to the Turnpike from Jamesburg?
The closest interchange is Exit 8A of the New Jersey Turnpike in neighboring Monroe Township. County Route 612 connects Jamesburg to the Turnpike and Route 32.
Is Thompson Park in Jamesburg?
Partly. Thompson Park, about 675 acres, lies mostly in Monroe Township with a portion in Jamesburg. It is the largest park in the Middlesex County park system and includes Lake Manalapan.
Buying or selling in Jamesburg?
We know where the borough line runs
In Jamesburg, an 08831 address is only the start. We confirm whether a home sits in the borough or in Monroe, then talk through price and every way to sell.
Call or text either of us directly.