Town guide · Middlesex County
Living in Old Bridge, NJ
Old Bridge is a large township of about 41 square miles in southern Middlesex County, stretching from the Raritan Bay shore at Laurence Harbor inland past Route 9 and Route 18. It holds most of Cheesequake State Park and has its own Garden State Parkway interchange.
- County
- Middlesex
- Population
- About 66,900 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 41 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban neighborhoods, a bayfront shore section and large state parkland
- Main roads
- Garden State Parkway (Interchange 120), U.S. Route 9, Route 18, Route 34 and Route 35
First things first
Old Bridge Township, not the historic village
Old Bridge Township was called Madison Township until 1975, when voters approved the new name to avoid confusion with the borough of Madison in Morris County. The historic Village of Old Bridge, on the South River, is actually in neighboring East Brunswick and is not part of the township.
Old Bridge Township homes can also carry several mailing addresses, including Old Bridge 08857, Parlin 08859, Laurence Harbor 08879 and Matawan 07747. We always confirm the municipality and block and lot, because that decides the tax rate and town services.
Neighborhoods
A township of many communities
The township was incorporated in 1869 from part of South Amboy Township. Four of its communities are large enough for the Census Bureau to count separately: Old Bridge, Madison Park, Laurence Harbor and Brownville.
- Laurence Harbor: The township's Raritan Bay section, where many homes sit on high bayside bluffs and the waterfront park runs along Route 35.
- Madison Park: One of the four communities the Census Bureau counts separately inside the township.
- Old Bridge and Brownville: Old Bridge is the township's largest census community, and Brownville is a smaller one. Both are part of Old Bridge Township.
- Other named places: Browntown, Brunswick Gardens, Cheesequake, Cottrell Corners, Parlin, Runyon, Sayre Woods South and South Old Bridge.
Homes
What you will find
- Suburban single family homes: Single family homes spread across Old Bridge, Madison Park, Brownville and the township's other named communities.
- Bayfront homes: Homes in Laurence Harbor near Raritan Bay, many on higher ground above the water.
- Apartments and rental complexes: Rental housing in several parts of the township, subject to the rent stabilization ordinance unless exempt.
Worth knowing: Old Bridge has a rent stabilization ordinance with its own board, including separate rules for manufactured home parks. It generally caps yearly increases and exempts buildings of two units or fewer. Many Laurence Harbor homes sit on high bluffs above the bay, but Hurricane Sandy damaged the waterfront park in 2012, so we still check the flood map on any home close to the water.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Old Bridge
- 1.836%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $9,5902025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $500,000 on today's market would pay roughly $9,180 a year at Old Bridge'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
The Garden State Parkway crosses the township with Interchange 120, signed for Laurence Harbor and Matawan. U.S. Route 9 runs north and south through the township, with an NJ Transit park and ride on the northbound side near Ernston Road. Route 18 runs toward East Brunswick and New Brunswick, and Route 34 and Route 35 also cross the township. There is no train station in Old Bridge. The closest stations are Aberdeen Matawan and South Amboy on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Several NJ Transit bus routes, including the 131, 135 and 139, run to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Cheesequake State Park: About 1,600 acres of state park with salt and freshwater marsh, a small stand of pine barrens, five marked trails and an interpretive center. It opened in 1940.
- Old Bridge Waterfront Park: About a mile of Raritan Bay waterfront in Laurence Harbor, with a boardwalk, jetties, beaches and fishing.
- Hooks Creek Lake: A 6 acre freshwater lake inside Cheesequake State Park, popular for fishing.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Old Bridge
What are property taxes in Old Bridge, NJ?
Old Bridge Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.836 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $9,590, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is the historic Village of Old Bridge in Old Bridge Township?
No. The historic Village of Old Bridge, on the South River, is in East Brunswick. Old Bridge Township was called Madison Township until voters changed the name in 1975.
Is there a train station in Old Bridge?
No. The closest stations are Aberdeen Matawan and South Amboy on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. NJ Transit buses, including the 131, 135 and 139, run from Old Bridge to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York.
Does Old Bridge have a Garden State Parkway exit?
Yes. Interchange 120 is in Old Bridge, signed for Laurence Harbor and Matawan. The Parkway runs through Cheesequake State Park nearby but has no direct park entrance.
Does Old Bridge have rent control?
Yes. Old Bridge has a rent stabilization ordinance that generally caps yearly increases and has its own board. Buildings of two units or fewer are exempt, and manufactured home parks have separate rules.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Old Bridge
Buying or selling in Old Bridge?
From the bay to Route 9
A bluff top home in Laurence Harbor and a house off Route 9 are different sales in the same township. We price by section and street, and we talk through every way to sell.
Call or text either of us directly.