Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Marlboro, NJ
Marlboro was once the largest potato growing township in the country. Today it is a large suburban town along Route 9, Route 18 and Route 79, with no single downtown and a lot of preserved open space along its edges.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 41,500 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 30 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban, with parkland and some remaining farmland
- Main roads
- U.S. Route 9, Route 18, Route 79, Route 34 and County Road 520
First things first
One township, three mailing addresses
Marlboro Township is served by more than one post office. Homes may carry a Marlboro address with the 07746 ZIP code, a Morganville address with 07751, or an Englishtown address with 07726 near the Manalapan line. The Wickatunk area also has its own 07765 ZIP code.
Morganville and Robertsville are census designated places inside Marlboro, not separate towns. When we price or search for a home, we always confirm the actual municipality, because that decides the tax rate and the town services.
Neighborhoods
A township of named places
Marlboro was formed from part of Freehold Township in 1848 and named for the marl beds farmers once dug for fertilizer. After World War II, housing developments began replacing farms, with the fastest growth in the 1960s and 1970s, and it never developed an official town center. The area around Route 79 and School Road has long been thought of as the heart of town.
- Morganville: The northern end of the township, along Route 79 toward Matawan and Old Bridge, with its own post office.
- Robertsville: The western corner of the township, between Route 9 and Route 18 near the Manalapan and Old Bridge lines.
- Wickatunk: One of the oldest settled parts of town, first settled in 1695, along Route 79. The Old Scots Burying Ground is here.
- Other named areas: Older place names still on the map include Beacon Hill, Bradevelt, Claytons Corner, Henningers Mills, Herberts Corner, Hillsdale, Monmouth Heights, Mount Pleasant, Pleasant Valley, Smocks Corner and Spring Valley.
Homes
What you will find
- Suburban single family homes: Most of the township's homes sit in residential neighborhoods built on former farmland in the decades after World War II, with the biggest growth in the 1960s and 1970s.
- 55 and over communities: Age restricted options include Chelsea Square, a 55 and over community. Each community has its own rules and association fees.
- Older farmhouses: A smaller number of older homes on the remaining farm roads, a reminder of Marlboro's agricultural past.
Worth knowing: Because Marlboro homes can carry a Marlboro, Morganville or Englishtown mailing address, the address alone does not tell you which town a house is in. We confirm the municipality and block and lot on every property, and for homes in age restricted communities we read the association documents early so there are no surprises on rules or fees.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Marlboro
- 1.689%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $12,7792025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $750,000 on today's market would pay roughly $12,668 a year at Marlboro'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.
Groceries, dining and shopping
Where Marlboro shops and eats
Marlboro has no traditional downtown. Shopping centers line Route 9 on the west side of town, with three supermarkets in town and more just over the line in Aberdeen and Manalapan.
Grocery stores
- In townShopRite280 Route 9, MarlboroDirections
- In townWhole Foods Market113 Route 9, MarlboroDirections
- In townALDI623 Texas Road, MarlboroDirections
- NortheastStop & Shop1129 Route 34, Aberdeen TownshipDirections
- SouthwestWegmans55 Route 9, ManalapanDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
Marlboro's restaurants are mostly in the shopping centers along Route 9, with a few more on Route 79 and Route 34. For a sit down dinner downtown, people drive to:
- Downtown Freehold: South on Route 79 to Main Street, a downtown known for its restaurants and nightlife.
- Downtown Red Bank: East on County Road 520 to Broad Street and Monmouth Street, a downtown with everything from fine dining to casual food, and outdoor dining on Broad Street in season.
- Downtown Keyport: North to West Front Street, a shopping district one block from the waterfront with many restaurants.
Shopping
Route 9 is lined with shopping centers. The Freehold Raceway Mall, with more than 200 stores, is south on Route 9 in Freehold Township.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
U.S. Route 9 runs through the western part of the township and carries most of its shopping and businesses. The Route 18 freeway runs through the middle of town, with interchanges at Route 79 and at County Road 520, and continues north toward the New Jersey Turnpike. Route 79 runs north to Matawan, Route 34 crosses the northeastern part of the township, and County Road 520 runs east toward Holmdel and Red Bank. There is no train station in Marlboro. The closest is the Aberdeen Matawan station on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, just north of town. NJ Transit buses, including route 139 along Route 9, run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Big Brook Park: A 439 acre Monmouth County park on Route 520 with meadows, woodland trails, an outdoor pool and fossil hunting in Big Brook from the Boundary Road lot.
- Henry Hudson Trail: The county rail trail's southern section runs through Marlboro on the old Matawan to Freehold rail line, reachable from Big Brook Park.
- Old Scots Burying Ground: A colonial burial ground in Wickatunk dating to 1685, with at least 100 known graves.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Marlboro
What are property taxes in Marlboro, NJ?
Marlboro Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.689 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $12,779, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Morganville part of Marlboro?
Yes. Morganville is a census designated place at the northern end of Marlboro Township, with its own post office and the 07751 ZIP code. Homes with a Morganville address are in Marlboro and pay Marlboro property taxes.
Is there a train station in Marlboro?
No. The closest rail station is Aberdeen Matawan on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, just north of the township. NJ Transit buses, including route 139 along Route 9, run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
What happened to the Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital?
The state hospital opened in 1931 and closed in 1998, and its buildings were completely demolished in 2015. In 2025 Monmouth County agreed with the state to take over management of the 411 acre property, with plans for walking and hiking trails as open space.
Can you really find fossils in Marlboro?
Yes. Big Brook, inside Monmouth County's Big Brook Park, is well known for Cretaceous era fossils. Visitors may collect from the brook using the Boundary Road parking lot, following the park's rules.
Where is the closest grocery store to Marlboro?
Marlboro has three supermarkets of its own: ShopRite at 280 Route 9, Whole Foods Market at 113 Route 9, and ALDI on Texas Road in Morganville. Stop & Shop on Route 34 in Aberdeen Township and Wegmans on Route 9 in Manalapan are a few minutes away.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Marlboro
Buying or selling in Marlboro?
Western Monmouth is home for us
Vin grew up in western Monmouth County. We know Marlboro's neighborhoods and its mailing address quirks, and we will tell you honestly what your home is worth and what your options are.
Call or text either of us directly.