Town guide · Monmouth County
Living in Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge, NJ
Upper Freehold is the far western corner of Monmouth County, and it still looks like farm country. Rolling fields, horse farms and small historic villages like Cream Ridge and Imlaystown fill its 47 square miles, with Interstate 195 running right through.
- County
- Monmouth
- Population
- About 7,300 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 47 square miles
- Setting
- Rural, with farms, horse properties, woods and small historic villages
- Main roads
- Interstate 195 (Exits 8 and 11) and county roads 524, 526, 537 and 539
First things first
Upper Freehold is not Freehold
Upper Freehold Township is its own municipality in the western corner of Monmouth County. Freehold Borough and Freehold Township are separate towns farther east. The names are similar, but the taxes, services and character are completely different.
Cream Ridge is not a separate town either. It is an unincorporated community inside Upper Freehold with its own post office and ZIP code, 08514. Other parts of the township use an Allentown mailing address, ZIP 08501, even though Allentown itself is a small separate borough on the township's northwestern edge.
The lay of the land
Villages, farms and back roads
Upper Freehold has no single downtown. It is a spread of farmland and woods dotted with old villages, and much of it is permanently preserved. The township's farmland preservation program has protected thousands of acres from development, so the fields around a home here are likely to stay fields.
- Cream Ridge: A historic farming community in the south central part of the township, whose Freehold sandy loam is counted among the richest soil in New Jersey.
- Imlaystown: A village on Doctors Creek with a millpond and a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Walnford: A preserved historic mill village, now part of Crosswicks Creek Park.
- Hornerstown and Arneytown: Smaller historic crossroads communities in the southern part of the township.
Homes
What you will find
- Farms and horse properties: Working farms and equestrian properties with barns, paddocks and acreage.
- Homes on large lots: Colonials and custom homes set on generous rural lots.
- Historic homes: Older farmhouses and village homes in Imlaystown, Cream Ridge and the other crossroads.
Worth knowing: Most of Upper Freehold has no public sewer or water, and the township's own planning documents aim to keep it that way. That means most homes run on a private well and a septic system. New Jersey requires the well water to be tested before a home with a private well is sold, and most buyers also order a septic inspection. On farm properties, we also check whether the land carries a farmland assessment or a preservation easement, because both change what an owner can do and what the taxes look like.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge
- 1.965%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $14,4352025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $750,000 on today's market would pay roughly $14,738 a year at Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge'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 Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge shops and eats
Upper Freehold is farm country, with no supermarket or shopping road of its own. Errands mean a drive west toward Hamilton or north toward East Windsor.
Grocery stores
- NorthwestShopRite130 Marketplace Boulevard, Hamilton TownshipDirections
- NorthShopRite319 Route 130, East WindsorDirections
- NorthALDI440 Route 130, East WindsorDirections
- WestAcme4400 South Broad Street, Hamilton TownshipDirections
Checked October 2026. Stores open, close and move, so call ahead before a first trip.
Restaurants
There are only a few places to eat in the township, most of them around Cream Ridge on County Route 539. For more choices, people drive to the small downtowns nearby:
- Allentown: The historic borough next door, with restaurants and antique and specialty shops along Main Street near the old mill.
- Downtown Hightstown: North, where Route 33 meets County Route 571, with restaurants, boutiques and art galleries.
Shopping
Route 130 is where most shopping happens. Hamilton Marketplace, a large shopping center anchored by a ShopRite, is on Route 130 in Hamilton, with more stores north along Route 130 in East Windsor.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Interstate 195 crosses the township, with Exit 8 at County Route 539 on the Robbinsville line and Exit 11 at Imlaystown Hightstown Road, near Imlaystown and the Horse Park of New Jersey. Route 195 connects east toward the shore and west to the New Jersey Turnpike and Trenton. County roads 524, 526, 537 and 539 carry most local traffic. Everyday shopping is in Allentown's small center and a short drive west in Robbinsville and Hamilton.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Crosswicks Creek Park and Historic Walnford: A Monmouth County park along Crosswicks Creek, with the restored Walnford mill village, trails, fishing and canoeing on the creek.
- Clayton Park: A county park of hilly oak and beech woods with about 6 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
- Horse Park of New Jersey: A state owned equestrian park on Route 524 that hosts horse shows and events through the year.
- Assunpink Wildlife Management Area: State land with lakes, fields and wetlands, popular for fishing, hiking and bird watching.
- Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway: A designated scenic drive through farm country linking the Allentown, Imlaystown and Walnford historic districts with nearby parks and wildlife areas.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge
What are property taxes in Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge, NJ?
Upper Freehold Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.965 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $14,435, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Cream Ridge its own town?
No. Cream Ridge is an unincorporated community inside Upper Freehold Township, with its own ZIP code, 08514. Homes with a Cream Ridge address are taxed and served by Upper Freehold Township.
Is Upper Freehold the same as Freehold?
No. Upper Freehold Township is a separate municipality in the western corner of Monmouth County. Freehold Borough and Freehold Township are different towns farther east.
Do homes in Upper Freehold have well water and septic?
Most do. Public sewer and water reach only a small part of the township, so most homes use a private well and a septic system. New Jersey's Private Well Testing Act requires the well water to be tested before a home with a private well is sold.
What is there to do in Upper Freehold?
Much of it is outdoors. The township is home to Clayton Park, Crosswicks Creek Park with Historic Walnford, the Horse Park of New Jersey and part of the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area. The Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Scenic Byway ties many of them together.
Where is the closest grocery store to Upper Freehold?
Upper Freehold has no supermarket of its own. The closest are the ShopRite at Hamilton Marketplace on Route 130 in Hamilton and the ShopRite and ALDI on Route 130 in East Windsor. The Acme on South Broad Street in Hamilton is closer for the western side of the township.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Upper Freehold and Cream Ridge
Buying or selling in Upper Freehold?
Western Monmouth is home for us
Vin grew up in western Monmouth County. We know how to price farms, horse properties and homes on well and septic, and we will walk you through every option before you decide.
Call or text either of us directly.