Matawan, NJ

Matawan is a Monmouth County borough with a heavily used Aberdeen-Matawan train station nearby, making commuting one of its defining practical facts. The name has several possible meanings, including references to a lake or magical quality, and the borough has Revolutionary War history through local Patriots who used whaleboats stored in the area. Matawan also gained national attention for its role in the 1916 shark attacks that helped inspire later shark folklore. It feels historic, commuter-friendly, and unmistakably Central Jersey.