Madison is home to a thriving retail/commercial district, which runs the length of Main Street (Route 124). The district runs the gamut from car dealerships and grocery stores to the east, quaint local shops and restaurants nestled in the downtown and major corporations on the western border. The Downtown Development Commission and the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce support the district. The Madison Civic Commercial Historic District, which includes much of “downtown” as well as Borough Hall and the train station, is on the State Register of Historic Places.
Madison beckons visitors to explore its rich history and unique architecture. A classic suburban community, located less than 25 miles from Manhattan, Madison offers a quiet sophistication. Home to Shanghai Jazz, ranked as one of the top jazz clubs; the renowned Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; and the Museum of Early Crafts & Trades, Madison wows visitors with its diverse cultural offerings.
If you are hungry, look no further! Multicultural and delicious, Madison has over 50 food establishments within its four square miles. Madison also offers a full calendar of community events for natives and newcomers alike.
Madison has a unique character generated by an ethnically diverse population, a wide range of housing types, the influence of local universities and its unique historical development. Consistently ranked as one of the safest communities in the United States, Madison is the epitome of a family-friendly, walkable and safe community.
Just to the west of the town center is the picturesque wooded campus of Drew University. Farther north lies the Florham Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, bridging the towns of Florham Park and Madison. The campus consists of 178 acres, part of Florham, a former country estate of early 20th-century socialites Florence Vanderbilt and Hamilton Twombly. Less than a mile farther west lies the campus of the College of Saint Elizabeth in Convent Station.
Madison is served by Morris and Essex Morristown Line trains of NJ Transit direct to Penn Station in New York City. It also provides service to Hoboken (with connections to lower New York City by the Hudson Tubes). In addition, NJ Transit provides local bus service.
NJ State Route 124 passes through Madison. From a distance, access by auto is easiest from the NJ Route 24 freeway. If traveling west, use Exit 7A and then follow Route 124 through Chatham to Madison. If traveling east, use Exit 2A, turn right off the ramp and take the first left onto Park Avenue. Follow Park Avenue into Madison.