Guide
Is Short Hills the same town as Millburn?
Short answer: no. Short Hills is a neighborhood inside Millburn Township, New Jersey. Here is exactly what that means for taxes, schools and your address.
The short answer
No. Short Hills is not a separate town. It is an unincorporated community and census-designated place inside Millburn Township, Essex County, New Jersey.
This is the single most common question I get from buyers coming out of the city, and it matters more than it sounds like it should.
The short answer
Short Hills is a neighborhood inside Millburn Township. It is not a municipality. There is no Short Hills town hall, no Short Hills mayor, and no Short Hills school board.
| Millburn | Short Hills | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | A township — a municipality | An unincorporated community and CDP inside Millburn Township |
| Municipal government | Millburn Township Committee | None of its own; governed by Millburn Township |
| School district | Millburn Township School District | The same — Millburn Township School District |
| Tax base | Millburn Township | The same — Millburn Township |
| ZIP code | 07041 | 07078 |
Why this trips people up
Two things cause the confusion. First, the two sections have different ZIP codes — 07041 and 07078 — and most people reasonably assume a different ZIP means a different town. It does not.
Second, the postal address "Short Hills, NJ" is what you write on an envelope, so it reads like a municipality. It is a postal designation, not a government.
What actually differs
The two sections feel different to live in, even though they share every civic institution.
- Short Hills is generally associated with larger lots and higher price points, and has its own train station.
- Millburn includes the walkable downtown along Millburn Avenue, the Paper Mill Playhouse, and its own separate train station.
Millburn Township has two NJ Transit stations — Millburn and Short Hills — both on the Morristown Line. Which one you use depends on which side of town you live on, and it is worth checking walkability to each before you buy.
What this means for you
- Your taxes are Millburn Township taxes regardless of which section you live in. There is no separate Short Hills tax rate.
- Your schools are Millburn Township schools either way.
- Your mailing address says Short Hills if you live in the 07078 ZIP.
- Comparable sales should be drawn carefully. A Short Hills comp and a Millburn comp are in the same municipality but can be in materially different submarkets.
A note on sourcing. Every figure on this page is drawn from public municipal and NJ Transit information. Property tax rates, school enrollment and train schedules change — verify current numbers with Millburn Township, the school district and NJ Transit before relying on them. This page is general information, not an appraisal or legal advice.
Questions
Common questions
Is Short Hills a separate town from Millburn?
No. Short Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place inside Millburn Township, Essex County, New Jersey. It has no separate municipal government, school district or tax base.
Do Short Hills and Millburn have different ZIP codes?
Yes. The Millburn section generally uses 07041 and the Short Hills section generally uses 07078. A different ZIP code does not mean a different municipality — both are Millburn Township.
Do Short Hills and Millburn share a school district?
Yes. Both are served by the Millburn Township School District.
How many train stations does Millburn Township have?
Two: Millburn and Short Hills, both on NJ Transit's Morristown Line.
Are taxes different in Short Hills than in Millburn?
No. Both are in Millburn Township and share one tax base and one municipal tax rate. Individual bills differ because assessed values differ.
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