Town guide · Middlesex County
Living in South River, NJ
South River is a small borough of under three square miles named for the tidal river that forms its eastern edge. It began as a river landing in the 1600s, grew up as the town of Washington, and its Main Street is home to the borough history museum.
- County
- Middlesex
- Population
- About 16,100 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 2.9 square miles
- Setting
- Compact borough with a Main Street and neighborhoods along a tidal river
- Main roads
- County Route 527 and County Route 535, with Route 18 just west of the borough
First things first
South River the town, South River the river
South River is both a borough and the river it is named for. The river forms where Manalapan Brook and Matchaponix Brook meet near Spotswood, becomes tidal below the Duhernal Lake dam, and joins the Raritan River between New Brunswick and Perth Amboy. It forms the borough's eastern and northeastern boundary, with Sayreville on the other side.
The borough uses the 08882 ZIP code. It borders East Brunswick and Sayreville, which are separate towns with their own tax rates, so near the lines we always confirm the actual municipality.
Neighborhoods
A river landing that became a borough
The area was known as South River Landing from 1683, then Willettstown after settler Samuel Willett, and Washington from 1784. It was set off as the town of Washington within East Brunswick Township in 1870 and became the Borough of South River in 1898. Older names like Washington Village, Washington Woods and Little Washington still turn up in local history.
- Main Street: The borough's main street, home to the South River Museum in an early 1800s former church.
- Newton Heights: A neighborhood along the border between South River and East Brunswick.
- Along the river: Streets on the borough's eastern side, closest to the tidal South River and the Sayreville line.
Homes
What you will find
- Homes in the older core: Streets around Main Street, in a town that began as a river landing in the 1600s and became a borough in 1898.
- Homes near the river: Streets on the eastern side of town, where flood risk matters most.
- Apartment complexes: The borough also has apartment communities, such as Deer Creek Village, formerly the Emess Apartments.
Worth knowing: The South River is tidal here and has a long history of storm flooding. A March 1993 storm caused $17 million in damage in the area and closed the bridge between South River and Sayreville. Congress authorized an Army Corps of Engineers flood project for the river in 2007, with a storm surge barrier and levees. We check the flood zone and flood insurance cost on every home near the river, early in the process. South River also runs its own borough electric utility, billed from the borough office on Washington Street, and borough public works maintains the water system, so utility bills here look different from most towns.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in South River
- 1.797%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $7,8242025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $450,000 on today's market would pay roughly $8,086 a year at South River'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
County Route 527 and County Route 535 are the main roads through the borough. Route 18 runs just west of town and leads to the New Jersey Turnpike. There is no train station in South River. NJ Transit bus routes 811 and 815 serve the borough.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- South River Museum: A borough history museum on Main Street in an early 1800s former church listed on the National Register, open on the first Sunday of each month.
- Volunteer's Park: A borough park on Bryan Street with a new playground opening in fall 2026.
- The South River and Washington Canal: The tidal river along the borough's eastern edge, and the canal shortcut that gave the river a second mouth to the Raritan.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about South River
What are property taxes in South River, NJ?
South River Borough's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.797 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $7,824, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Does South River flood?
Parts of it can. The South River is tidal here and has flooded in major storms, including a 1993 storm that closed the bridge to Sayreville. Flood risk depends on the street, so we check the flood zone on every home near the river.
Why is it called South River?
The borough is named for the South River, a tributary of the Raritan that forms its eastern and northeastern boundary. Before 1898 the town was known as Washington.
Is South River part of East Brunswick?
No. South River was set off from East Brunswick Township as the town of Washington in 1870 and became its own borough in 1898. It has its own government and property tax rate.
Is there a train station in South River?
No. NJ Transit bus routes 811 and 815 serve the borough, and Route 18 just to the west connects to the New Jersey Turnpike.
Nearby towns
Towns that border South River
Buying or selling in South River?
Close to the river, close to the details
Along the tidal river, a few blocks can change the flood map and the insurance bill. We check those details on every South River home and talk through each way to sell.
Call or text either of us directly.