Short answer: Mountain Lakes is a 2.9-square-mile Morris County borough built around man-made lakes and Craftsman houses from the 1910s and 1920s. The Census puts the median owner-occupied value at $917,000, and the 2025 average residential property tax bill was $24,096, about double the Morris County average.
If you are browsing Mountain Lakes NJ homes for sale, you will notice the town looks nothing like its Route 46 neighbors: streets curve around the lakes, houses sit well back from the road, and stucco and stonework are everywhere. Here is what the borough is like and what the numbers say about cost.
Mountain Lakes at a Glance
| Item | Figure | Source / period |
|---|---|---|
| Total area | 1,861 acres (2.91 sq. mi.) | NJ Highlands Council |
| Population | 4,649 | Morris County municipal profile, 2025 estimate |
| Median value, owner-occupied homes | $917,000 | Census ACS 5-year estimate ending 2024 |
| 2025 general tax rate | 2.299 per $100 of assessed value | NJ Division of Taxation |
| 2025 effective (equalized) tax rate | 2.096 | NJ Division of Taxation |
| 2025 average residential assessment | $1,048,118 | NJ Division of Taxation |
| 2025 average residential tax bill | $24,096 | NJ Division of Taxation |
| Morris County average residential tax bill, 2025 | $12,175 | NJ Division of Taxation |
| Statewide average residential tax bill, 2025 | $10,340 | NJ Division of Taxation |
The Lakes and How Beach Access Works
None of the lakes here are natural. Dam building started in the winter of 1908 to 1909, and Mountain Lake and Wildwood Lake came first, which is why the streets bend around them. The borough later acquired large tracts around Birchwood, Crystal and Sunset Lakes and folded them into its open space. Other named lakes include Shadow and Cove; counts run from seven to nine depending on the source.
Unlike many North Jersey lake communities, where a private lake association owns the water and charges dues, Mountain Lakes runs its swimming beaches through the borough. The basics from the 2026 beach tag application:
- Beaches are for borough residents and immediate family who live with them. Adults show proof of residency at Borough Hall, 400 Boulevard.
- The two beaches named on the form are Island Beach and the Birchwood Lake beach.
- 2026 tags: $35 per person, $150 for a family of five or more, and free (but still required) for residents 62 and older.
- Tag holders can buy guest passes for visitors.
The borough also handles boat registration and rents boat racks and rings along the water to residents. The private Mountain Lakes Club sits at the north end of Mountain Lake and is separate from the public beaches.
To compare other lake towns, including association-run ones, see our guide to the best lake communities in Sussex and Morris County.
Hapgood Homes and the Historic District
Mountain Lakes was planned as a residential park suburb by developer Herbert J. Hapgood with landscape designer Arthur Holton. Home construction began in 1910, the first residents moved in during 1911, and nearly 500 houses went up before Hapgood’s company went bankrupt in 1923. The Belhall Company picked up where he left off, and the borough incorporated in 1924.
Those early houses are still called “Hapgoods.” According to the borough’s Historic Preservation Committee, 451 of the original 482 Hapgood homes remain, along with 57 of the roughly 60 Belhall homes. Expect Craftsman styling, stucco exteriors, plenty of stonework and deep front setbacks on narrow, winding streets.
The Mountain Lakes Historic District covers about 1,397 acres and was listed on the New Jersey Register in July 2005 and the National Register of Historic Places in September 2005. The town created a Historic Preservation Commission in 1990 after a run of Hapgood demolitions, so if you are thinking about a major exterior change or a teardown, ask about local review early.
Getting Around: Train, Bus and Highways
Mountain Lakes station
Mountain Lakes has its own stop on NJ Transit’s Montclair-Boonton Line, at 99 Midvale Road. NJ Transit’s weekday timetable lists trains toward both Hoboken and New York Penn Station; some run straight through, and others require a change at Newark Broad Street or Secaucus Junction. Not every train stops here, so check the current timetable.
More on homes near the line in our guide to buying near the NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton Line.
Roads and bus
U.S. Route 46 runs along the edge of the borough. Interstate 80 and Interstate 287 pass just outside town in Parsippany-Troy Hills, and the borough brochure describes all of them as roughly two minutes away. A Lakeland bus route to New York stops along Boulevard, with a park-and-ride lot at Boulevard and Route 46.
Mountain Lakes Schools
The borough has its own K-12 district, Mountain Lakes Schools. Per the New Jersey Department of Education’s 2023-24 School Performance Report, the district enrolled 1,335 students and runs four schools:
- Wildwood Elementary School: kindergarten through grade 5
- Briarcliff Middle School: grades 6 to 8
- Mountain Lakes High School: grades 9 to 12
- Lake Drive Program for Hearing Impaired: pre-K through grade 8
For test results, see the state’s School Performance Reports. Our overview of Morris County school districts explains how the districts are organized.
What Homes Cost in Mountain Lakes
The monthly NJ REALTORS report does not break out Mountain Lakes, so here is what we could verify:
- Median home value: $917,000 for owner-occupied homes (Census ACS 5-year estimate ending 2024, as reported in Morris County’s municipal profile).
- Average assessment: $1,048,118 across 1,445 residential line items in 2025 (NJ Division of Taxation).
- County market context: In Morris County overall, the median single-family sale price was $737,500 in September 2026 and $795,333 year to date, with homes selling for 104.0% of list price on average after 30 days on market (NJ REALTORS, September 2026 report).
A survey estimate of value and closed sales are different measures, but both point to Mountain Lakes sitting well above the county overall. The town is small and about 93% owner-occupied, so listings at any one time are usually few. Pricing a specific Hapgood depends on lot, lake proximity, renovation history and size, so recent comparable sales matter more than averages.
Property Taxes
The 2025 general tax rate in Mountain Lakes was 2.299 per $100 of assessed value, and the equalized (effective) rate was 2.096. On the average 2025 assessment of $1,048,118, that works out to the state-reported average bill of $24,096. Your bill depends on your home’s assessment, not its sale price, so ask for the current assessment and tax history on any home you are considering. Our explainer on how NJ property taxes work in Morris County walks through the math.
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm the details for your situation with your attorney, accountant or lender.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are property taxes in Mountain Lakes, NJ?
The 2025 average residential tax bill in Mountain Lakes was $24,096, based on an average assessment of $1,048,118 and a general tax rate of 2.299 per $100, according to the NJ Division of Taxation. The Morris County average bill was $12,175.
Can anyone use the beaches in Mountain Lakes?
No. The borough’s beaches, including Island Beach and the Birchwood Lake beach, are limited to residents and the immediate family who live with them. Residents buy tags at Borough Hall and can purchase guest passes for visitors.
Does Mountain Lakes have a train station?
Yes. Mountain Lakes station at 99 Midvale Road is on NJ Transit’s Montclair-Boonton Line, with trains toward Hoboken and New York Penn Station. Some trips require a transfer at Newark Broad Street or Secaucus, and not every train stops there.
What is a Hapgood home?
A Hapgood is one of the original houses built by developer Herbert J. Hapgood starting in 1910, usually Craftsman in style with stucco and stonework. The borough reports that 451 of the original 482 remain within the Mountain Lakes Historic District.
Sources
- NJ Division of Taxation: 2025 General Tax Rates
- NJ Division of Taxation: 2025 Average Residential Statistics
- Morris County: Mountain Lakes Municipal Profile (Census ACS data)
- NJ REALTORS Local Market Update: Morris County, September 2026
- NJ Department of Education: Mountain Lakes School Performance Report 2023-24
- Borough of Mountain Lakes: National and State Historic District
- Borough of Mountain Lakes Master Plan: Historic Preservation Element
- Borough of Mountain Lakes: 2026 Beach Tag Application
- Borough of Mountain Lakes: Community Brochure
- NJ Highlands Council: Mountain Lakes Borough
- NJ Transit: Montclair-Boonton Line Weekday Timetable
- Morris Focus: Mountain Lakes Boat Rack and Ring Renewals
- Wikipedia: Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
Talk to the MorrisAgent Team
If you want help sorting through Hapgoods, lake-adjacent lots and tax histories in Mountain Lakes, we are based next door in Boonton. Call (973) 200-4800, email [email protected], or stop by our office at 518 Main Street, Suite 102, Boonton. No pressure, and no surprises.