Highland Park is across the Raritan River from the Rutgers campus. Since this town is mostly made up of families, this is an ideal place for grad students and faculty members with families. This town is quiet and a lot of the shops and restaurants that close early, so students will have to travel out of Highland Park to enjoy nightlife and other social events.

Edison is another option for students looking to move off-campus. For students who love history, this town is the home of Thomas Edison's industrial research laboratory. While a car is needed for commuting, the Edison train station is one stop away from the New Brunswick station. Edison has a variety of parks, libraries, and public schools, making it an ideal place for students and faculty members wanting to raise a family.

Piscataway borders Rutgers University's campus across the Raritan River to the north. It is home to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' football stadium, the High Point Solutions Stadium. The city has a variety of apartments, townhouses, and condos, but most of the housing options consist of single-family accommodations. Piscataway is 20 square miles, so students can decide how far away from campus they want to live, especially when it comes to utilizing the bus system. This town is ideal for nature lovers since it is home to more than 20 parks.

East Brunswick is ideal for students who have access to a car. It is home to the Rural Preservation Zone, so those who love nature will enjoy living here. This town is home to a reputable public-school system, making East Brunswick perfect for students and faculty with growing families.

Like East Brunswick, students who choose to live in Somerset will need a car to commute to campus. Somerset is part of the Township of Franklin, which encompasses Somerset as well as Zarephath, East Millstone, Franklin Park, Griggstown, Middlebush, and parts of Kingston and Little Rocky Hill. Easton Avenue, which is home to many places to eat and socialize among students, cuts through Somerset, so this is a place for those looking to be social.

Dining

Many of the popular restaurants at Rutgers reside on Easton Avenue. Stuff Yer Face is one of these places. It is a gastropub that is known for its wide variety of strombolis, fishbowls, Potachos, and wide beer menu. They have their physical location, but they also have the option for delivery via Doordash.

Olde Queen's Tavern is a popular eatery on campus. They have DJs Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, making this spot a go-to for those who want to socialize. The tavern also hosts gameday watches for Rutgers games.

The Scarlet Pub is another popular pub near campus. It is known for its daily drink specials, DJs, and events. The pub was established in 1959 and got new management in 2014. Since they are known for their drinks, it is an ideal place for students who are 21 and older.

Rutgers is home to other food options as well, from pizza and wings to Mexican food and halal. Like other college campuses, food trucks are popular at Rutgers as well. For those who want to stick to chains they know and love, restaurants like Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Jersey Mike's Subs also have locations on Rutgers' campus.

Transportation

There are many ways to get to, from, and around campus, including campus transit and shuttle buses, biking, walking, and public transportation. New Brunswick/Piscataway Campus Bus/Shuttle Service is a service that takes students between the College Avenue, Busch, Livingston, Cook & Douglass Campuses, and is available to everyone who is part of the Rutgers community. There are a variety of routes depending on student needs and more information is available on their website.

The Cook/Douglas Library Shuttle provides a shuttle between the Cook and Douglass campus only and makes stops at the Mabel Smith Douglass Library, academic buildings, residence halls, and campus bus stops. This shuttle is available Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is not available during breaks, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Knight Mover gives students a ride to students within or between all the New Brunswick/Piscataway Rutgers campuses after the Intercampus Transit System ends its service for the night. Users are asked to call 732-932-7433 when they are ready for a ride and must show a valid Rutgers ID to access the service. This service operates during the fall and spring semesters from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Other campus transportation options are available and can be viewed on the Department of Transit Services website.

New Brunswick has bus stops and a train station that are part of the NJ Transit system. More than 90 trains stop at the New Brunswick station, and the station is a 5-minute walk to and from campus. There are also 5 bus routes that go through New Brunswick, and there are multiple stops near or on campus.

Parking

Rutgers has a variety of parking lots and garages, including permit-controlled lots and decks, access-controlled lots, and restricted-controlled lots, to ensure that students can navigate and commute to campus safely. Students need to buy an e-permit to use parking services on campus. If a student has access to multiple cars, they can all be registered under the permit, but students are only allowed to have one car on campus at a time.

Safety

Safety is a huge consideration for students moving off-campus, and Rutgers has several measures in place to help keep their students safe. There are emergency phones and alarms located in campus buildings, restrooms, and parking decks. The New Brunswick and Piscataway campuses also have outdoor “blue” light phones for students who need them.

Rutgers also has an Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance. This service is free for members of the Rutgers community and can be accessed by calling 848-932-1181. Trained staff members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

On the Rutgers website, there is a page for safety resources that students can check out for information for reporting emergency incidents as well as statistics for crime on campus. Rutgers also has an Emergency Notification System in place, allowing subscribed users to receive text alerts on their cell phones in emergency situations.

Shopping

There is a wide variety of shopping options on and around campus to help students living off-campus. Walgreens and Rite Aid are the two nearest pharmacies to campus. For students who are looking for clothes, Cliquer's, Finale, and Shaly's are all nearby. Campus Deli and Food Store and College Farms Foodmart are two places where students can pick up a quick snack. There are a variety of small grocery stores near campus, but Bravo Supermarket is the largest and is part of a chain of supermarkets.