Short Hills, NJ
An Essex County luxury enclave inside Millburn Township — Mall at Short Hills luxury anchor, NJ Transit Midtown Direct in 35 minutes, top-coded $250,001+ median household income, 89.4% bachelor's-or-higher attainment, and a 40% Asian-American community with deep Chinese, Korean, and Indian-American roots.
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)
$1.89M
+4.8% YoY (Zillow 2026)
Days on Market
29
Luxury segment, fast turnover
Millburn HS
#16 NJ
Niche A+ · GreatSchools 9/10
NYC Commute
~35 min
Midtown Direct express
Community Overview
Short Hills is a 5.3-square-mile census-designated place inside Millburn Township — Essex County's signature luxury submarket. The CDP has approximately 14,923 residents with the Census Bureau's top-coded median household income of $250,001+, ranking it among the wealthiest places in the United States. 89.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the homeownership rate is 86.5%.
Two structural assets define the borough: the Mall at Short Hills — New Jersey's flagship luxury retail with Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana, Patek Philippe, and 140+ stores across luxury houses and full-service department stores — and Millburn Township School District, where Hartshorn, Deerfield, and Glenwood elementaries hold GreatSchools 9-10/10 ratings, and Millburn High School is Niche A+ / #16 in NJ for 2026.
The 2026 market is precision-driven: median days-on-market sit at 29, contract activity is up 27.9% YoY, and Zillow's home value index of $1,887,625 (+4.8% YoY) sits between the typical-home tier and the luxury segment average of ~$2.75M. Supply remains structurally tight — 24 active listings as of late 2025 — and the NJ Transit Midtown Direct rail line reaches Penn Station in 35 minutes.
Education
Millburn Township School District serves both Short Hills and Millburn — 4,737 students across PK-12, 13:1 student-teacher ratio, district math proficiency 82% (vs. 38% NJ avg), reading 85% (vs. 49% NJ avg). Niche ranks the district #10 in NJ for 2026.
Millburn High School
Niche A+, #16 in NJ, top 5% nationally. GreatSchools 9/10.
Hartshorn Elementary
GreatSchools 9/10, Niche A+.
Glenwood Elementary
GreatSchools 10/10. Previously ranked #1 elementary in the US.
Deerfield Elementary
GreatSchools 9/10, Niche A+.
Transportation & Commute
Short Hills has one of the strongest rail commutes in suburban New Jersey: NJ Transit Morris & Essex Midtown Direct from Short Hills station reaches NY Penn Station in roughly 35 minutes (express) or 43 minutes (typical), running hourly or better. Off-peak driving to Manhattan is 35–45 minutes via Route 24 / I-78 / GSP; peak driving stretches to 60+ minutes. Boxcar luxury bus service operates from Short Hills to Midtown / Upper East Side.
Midtown Direct
~35 min
Drive (off-peak)
35-45 min
Distance
23 miles
Demographics & Community
Short Hills's demographic profile is among the most distinctive in New Jersey: Census-top-coded household income ($250,001+), 89.4% bachelor's-or-higher attainment, 40.4% Asian-American (with deep Chinese-American, Korean-American, and Indian-American communities), 52.0% White (non-Hispanic), 31.5% foreign-born, and 86.5% homeownership. Median age is 41.5 — younger than Englewood Cliffs (49.8) but older than Tenafly (42.2).
Population (CDP)
~14,923
Median Income
$250K+
Bachelor's+
89.4%
Asian-American
40.4%
Foreign-born
31.5%
Homeownership
86.5%
Dining & Lifestyle
The Mall at Short Hills anchors the area's lifestyle infrastructure — Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana, Patek Philippe, plus Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Macy's department-store anchors. The dining bench combines Eataly's mall-format Italian marketplace with established Italian fine dining at La Pergola, Basilico, and Scalini Fedeli (in nearby Chatham — long-celebrated as a NJ benchmark).
Eataly Short Hills
Italian marketplace + ristorante (mall)
La Pergola (Millburn)
Fine Northern Italian, garden dining
Basilico (Millburn)
Established Italian since 1996
Scalini Fedeli (Chatham)
Long-celebrated NJ fine-dining benchmark
The Cheesecake Factory (mall)
American eclectic — mall anchor
Vette Ristorante (Livingston)
Fine Italian, newer concept
2026 Market Insights
The 2026 Short Hills market is fundamentally about precision rather than volume. Saritte Harel's March 2026 update reports under-contracts up 27.9% YoY (18 vs. 14) while closed deals run -9% — the gap reflects extreme inventory tightness, not weak demand. Median days on market sit at 29 (luxury segment), and active inventory has only inched from 20 to 24 listings.
The Redfin headline -19.7% YoY median is a mix-shift artifact: when fewer ultra-luxury homes close in a small monthly sample, the median drops without prices actually falling. The Zillow ZHVI of $1.89M (+4.8% YoY) and the luxury-segment average of $2.75M (+4.4% YoY) are the more reliable signals — both point to mid-single-digit appreciation in line with the broader NJ outlook of 2-4%.
Mortgage-rate consensus places 30-year fixed in the low-6% range with potential decline toward 5.5–5.9% by late 2026 — a tailwind for the sub-$2.5M tier. The structural floor under demand: top-coded household income, top-tier school district, 35-minute Midtown Direct rail, mall-anchored luxury retail, and a deep Asian-American buyer pool that prizes the school district.
Real Estate Snapshot
Source: Zillow, Redfin, Saritte Harel (2026)
Neighborhoods
Old Short Hills / Hartshorn
Historic estate homes on the largest lots — defining luxury tier with mature landscaping and architectural pedigree.
$3M – $8M+
Deerfield
Highly sought neighborhood near Deerfield Elementary (A+ Niche, 9/10 GreatSchools).
$2.5M – $5M
Knollwood
Quiet streets, mid-century to traditional homes, established family character.
$1.8M – $3.5M
Glenwood
Near Glenwood Elementary (10/10 GreatSchools, previously ranked #1 elementary in the US).
$2M – $4M
Quick Profile
Points of Interest
The Mall at Short Hills
Luxury RetailNew Jersey's flagship luxury shopping center — 140+ stores including Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Prada, Loro Piana, Patek Philippe, plus Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Macy's anchors.
Paper Mill Playhouse
Performing Arts1,200-seat regional theater in adjacent Millburn — winner of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award and official State Theatre of New Jersey. Productions include Newsies, A Bronx Tale, Bandstand.
Greenwood Gardens
Garden28-acre formal Italianate garden at 274 Old Short Hills Rd — operated as a nonprofit since 2002 with seasonal public programming.
Old Short Hills Park
ParkAdjacent to Greenwood Gardens — former Day estate; trails, lawns, picnic spaces.
Eataly Short Hills
DiningItalian marketplace + ristorante located inside The Mall at Short Hills — bringing the Manhattan flagship's curated experience to the suburbs.
Short Hills Station
TransitNJ Transit Morris & Essex Midtown Direct — 35-minute express to NY Penn Station, hourly+ frequency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the typical home price in Short Hills in 2026?
Three angles: Zillow's home value index reads $1,887,625 (+4.8% YoY) — the most reliable typical-home benchmark; Saritte Harel's luxury segment average is $2,751,801 (+4.4% YoY); and median list price (April 2026) is $2,780,000. Redfin's monthly $2.1M median (-19.7% YoY) reflects mix-shift toward smaller closings, not a price decline. Best read: typical home $1.78M–$1.89M (Zillow), luxury average ~$2.75M.
How are Short Hills schools rated?
Millburn Township School District (Niche #10 in NJ for 2026, district math 82% / reading 85% vs. 38%/49% NJ averages) serves Short Hills. Millburn High School is Niche A+, ranked #16 best public HS in NJ, top 5% nationally. Hartshorn Elementary, Deerfield Elementary, and Glenwood Elementary all hold GreatSchools 9-10/10 — Glenwood was previously named #1 elementary in the United States.
How long is the commute from Short Hills to Manhattan?
Short Hills sits 23 miles from Manhattan with an exceptional rail commute: NJ Transit Morris & Essex Line Midtown Direct from Short Hills station reaches NY Penn Station in roughly 35 minutes (express) or 43 minutes (typical), running hourly or better. Off-peak driving is 35–45 minutes via Route 24 / I-78 / GSP; peak driving is 60+ minutes. Boxcar luxury bus service supplements the rail option.
What makes the Mall at Short Hills significant for the area?
The Mall at Short Hills is New Jersey's flagship luxury retail property and one of the East Coast's premier shopping destinations. Its tenant mix — Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci, Cartier, Tiffany, Prada, Loro Piana, Patek Philippe, Bvlgari, Fendi, Ferragamo, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Jimmy Choo — anchors the area's wealth-management/financial-services economy and creates a structural lifestyle premium that supports residential pricing.
What is the demographic profile of Short Hills?
Short Hills (CDP) has approximately 14,923 residents with a median household income that hits the Census Bureau's top-coded $250,001+ — among the highest in the United States. 89.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the population is 40.4% Asian-American (with deep Chinese-, Korean-, and Indian-American communities) and 52.0% White, with 31.5% foreign-born and 86.5% homeownership.
What is the 2026 Short Hills market outlook?
Stable, precision-driven, structurally tight. Saritte Harel's March 2026 update reports under-contracts up 27.9% YoY and median days-on-market down to 29 days even as closed deals run -9% YoY. Active listings have inched from 20 to 24, but well-priced product still moves quickly. Mortgage-rate consensus: 30-year fixed in low-6% range with potential decline toward 5.5–5.9% by late 2026. Top-school district + 35-min Midtown Direct + Mall at Short Hills + Asian-American buyer concentration keep demand structurally firm.
Data Sources & References
Real Estate: Zillow ZHVI (2026), Redfin Short Hills (2026), Saritte Harel March 2026 luxury report, Sue Adler inventory analysis.
Schools: Niche 2026, GreatSchools.org.
Demographics: U.S. Census Bureau (top-coded ACS), Data USA (2024).
Transit: NJ Transit, Wikipedia (Short Hills station), Walk Score.
Data refreshed May 2026. Verify with a licensed agent before any real estate decision.
Compare Short Hills with…
Side-by-side 2026 stats — prices, schools, commute, demographics.