Montague's housing stock is sparse and spread out, reflecting its overwhelmingly rural character. Homes include older farmhouses, modest single-family residences, and scattered newer construction on wooded and open lots, with some townhomes and rentals near the Route 206 corridor. Because most of the township is public parkland, developable land is limited, and properties often come with significant acreage, privacy, and mountain or river views. The small, low-density market serves a mix of long-time residents, second-home owners, and those seeking a rural retreat, and housing is generally more affordable than in the state's suburban core. It is a market defined by land and seclusion.

Montague has no traditional neighborhoods; it is a scattered rural township organized around the Delaware River, U.S. Route 206, and the surrounding public lands. Homes and small businesses cluster along Route 206 and the river road, while the rest of the township spreads into the forests, ridges, and valleys of High Point State Park, Stokes State Forest, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The result is a landscape of isolated homes, farms, and open space rather than subdivisions, with the nearest true town centers across the state lines in Port Jervis, New York, and Matamoras, Pennsylvania.

Montague offers a deeply rural, outdoors-oriented way of life in the Skylands, far removed from the pace of the rest of New Jersey. With most of its 45 square miles in state and federal parkland, the township feels defined by forest, ridge, and river rather than by development, and its small population is spread thinly across the landscape. Residents enjoy immediate access to High Point State Park, Stokes State Forest, and the Delaware River for hiking, camping, and scenic drives, with Port Jervis, New York, and Matamoras, Pennsylvania, providing nearby services. It is a place for those who prioritize open space, quiet, and the state's wildest scenery over suburban convenience.

Montague is served by the Montague Township School District, a single K-8 school with roughly 300 students and a notably low student-teacher ratio. Public high school students attend High Point Regional High School through a sending-receiving relationship, with school choice options also available at schools such as Kittatinny Regional High School and Sussex County Technical School. The small, community-based elementary and middle school setting is typical of rural Sussex County, and families benefit from a range of regional high school pathways. Higher education is available in the surrounding region and across the state line.

Montague is reached primarily via U.S. Route 206, which runs through the township and connects it south toward the rest of Sussex County and north toward the New York state line. The township's position at New Jersey's northern tip places it close to Port Jervis, New York, and Matamoras, Pennsylvania, where Interstate 84 and rail service provide regional connections to New York City and the Hudson Valley. The rural road network and mountainous terrain make a personal vehicle essential, and most daily errands and services are found across the state lines in the nearby tri-state towns.

Montague's recreation is defined by its public lands. High Point State Park offers hiking, camping, scenic views from the High Point Monument, and the state's highest elevation, while Stokes State Forest adds more trails, camping, and ridgetop scenery. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, along the township's Delaware River frontage, provides fishing, paddling, and river access, and the Appalachian Trail passes through the region. Seasonal activities range from summer swimming and boating to winter cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The combination of a state park, a state forest, and a national recreation area makes Montague one of New Jersey's premier outdoor recreation destinations.