Town guide · Union County
Living in Westfield, NJ
Westfield is known for its busy downtown, a train station on the Raritan Valley Line, and blocks of classic colonials and Victorians.
Westfield is a town of about 6.7 square miles in Union County, with 31,032 residents at the 2020 Census, about 16 miles southwest of New York City.
Settled in 1720 as the West Fields of Elizabethtown, Westfield became a township in 1794 and a town in 1903. Its downtown, with more than 450 stores, restaurants and services, won a Great American Main Street Award, and its streets are known for Victorian and Colonial homes.
Neighborhoods and areas
Why people choose Westfield
Downtown
A walkable downtown with independent shops, restaurants and events.
Commute
Westfield station on the Raritan Valley Line.
Demand
Homes here often sell quickly, so preparation and pricing matter.
Living in Westfield
Getting around
Westfield station is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Most trains run to Newark Penn Station, where you connect to New York, and a limited number run straight to New York Penn. Rush-hour express trips take about 50 minutes to New York and about 20 minutes to Newark. NJ Transit bus 113 reaches the Port Authority Bus Terminal in about an hour. Route 22 and Parkway exits 135 and 137 are close by, and Newark Liberty Airport is about 20 minutes away.
Parks and outdoors
The town sets aside 211 acres for parks. Mindowaskin Park on Broad Street has a pond, a gazebo and a playground, Tamaques Park has fields and trails, and Gumbert Park is home to the Westfield Rink. Lenape Park's 450 acres run along the Rahway River, and the Memorial Pool complex has a 50-meter pool, a diving pool, slides and a splash pad.
Downtown and everyday life
Downtown Westfield is run as a special improvement district by the Downtown Westfield Corporation, with summer jazz nights, Spring Fling and FestiFall on the calendar. The Rialto Theater appeared on NBC's Ed, and each October AddamsFest celebrates Westfield native Charles Addams with art, tours and lantern walks.
Schools
Westfield Public Schools run 10 schools: an early childhood center, six neighborhood elementary schools, Edison and Roosevelt Intermediate Schools and Westfield High School.
History and landmarks
Westfield's National Register sites include the Miller-Cory House, the 1911 Fire Headquarters on North Avenue, the Stoneleigh Park Historic District, the William Edgar Reeve House and the burial ground of the Presbyterian Church, whose congregation dates to 1728. The train station keeps two historic Central Railroad of New Jersey depots linked by a tunnel.
Homes in Westfield
Many homes are Victorian or Colonial in style. Stoneleigh Park, built mostly from about 1904 into the 1920s, is on the State and National Registers, and Kimball Avenue is the town's locally designated historic district.
Westfield market snapshot
All residential sales in ZIP 07090, March 1 to May 31, 2026. Source: Redfin. Ask me for this month's numbers.
Westfield questions buyers ask
Is there a direct train from Westfield to New York City?
Westfield is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Most trains end at Newark Penn Station, where riders transfer for New York, but a limited number run directly to New York Penn Station. Rush-hour express trips take about 50 minutes.
Is there a bus from Westfield to Manhattan?
Yes. NJ Transit Route 113 runs to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in about an hour.
If I buy in a historic area of Westfield, do I need approval for exterior changes?
Only locally designated properties fall under the Historic Preservation Commission: the Kimball Avenue district and 23 individual properties as of 2024. Stoneleigh Park is on the State and National Registers but is not locally designated. Always confirm a specific address with the town.
Does Westfield have a town pool?
Yes. The Memorial Pool and Aquatic Complex on Cumberland Street sells memberships to residents and non-residents, and it can sell out, so sign up early.
Working with Pete
Pete Moriello is one of the most reliable and skilled real estate professionals I've worked with in my career. We've partnered for many years, and he consistently demonstrates exceptional care for his clients.
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Top photo: Downtown Westfield by Freeholdman12, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.