WESTFIELD, NJ

UNION COUNTY

 
 
 

Welcome to Westfield!

Westfield, New Jersey is a classic town for modern families. Noted for its beautiful downtown area, excellent school system, and convenient commute to New York City, Westfield offers residents the attractions of fine suburban living with an easy route to metropolitan New York. A large segment of its residents commute daily to business in New York and Newark. Excellent train and bus service combined with easy access to the metropolitan highway network provides commuters with fast and efficient transportation. 

With its charming, Great American Main Street award-winning downtown and prestigious school system, Westfield is a town that all residents can be proud to call home. The Victorian and Colonial-style homes that reflect its rich historical character complement the broad, tree-lined streets of this small picturesque community. Within this peaceful landscape, you will find lush parks and golf courses, and an endless array of recreational facilities for children as well as adults.

Downtown Westfield is a vibrant shopping and dining destination, home to over 450 fine stores, restaurants and services, including: GAP, Trader Joe’s, Urban Outfitters, and Williams-Sonoma.  Westfield also has many unique shops, stylish boutiques, and delicious upscale and casual eating establishments.

Settled by immigrants from Europe in 1720, Westfield was once a popular trail for the Lenni-Lenape Indians whose heritage remains in the names of many existing streets and parks. Originally known as the West Fields of Elizabethtown, the community gradually took its own identity and finally, in 1903 was incorporated as the Town of Westfield. It is a developed community of 6.29 miles with 211 acres devoted to parks.

Westfield has been able to sustain the residential tradition begun in the late 19th century, with several areas officially designated as historic. The town continues to draw prosperous residents to its attractive neighborhoods, including famous artists and musicians, high government officials, sports personalities, and finance and pharmaceutical executives.

 

Quick Facts:

Check out some “Quick Facts” here, or scroll down for a deeper look at the ins and outs of Westfield!

  • 30,316 in 2010

  • Average time to NY Penn is 54 minutes via the Raritan Valley Train Line. Alternatively, NJ Transit offers a bus from Westfield to New York Port Authority which takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes.

    Westfield is accessible within minutes of the Garden State Parkway, I-78, and US-22, all of which head north towards Newark and New York. Also, the Jersey Turnpike (I-95) and I-287 are just a few minutes outside of town and provide additional access to Newark/Manhattan and Brooklyn.

  • Westfield Public School District ranked #14 in the state by Niche in 2023.

    1 Early Childhood School (Pre K - K)

    6 Elementary Schools (1-5)

    2 Intermediate Schools (6-8)

    1 High School

    For more details on district rankings click here. For the Westfield School District website click here.

    Private school

    1 Parochial School (PK-8)

  • Westfield has many fields, playgrounds, an ice skating rink, a community swimming pool and public tennis courts. The recreation department runs seasonal youth sports programs and a summer playground camp program.

    Visit the Westfield Recreation Department website here

Key Locations

Getting to Westfield + Commute

A large segment of Westfield residents commute daily to business in New York and Newark. Excellent train and bus service combined with easy access to the metropolitan highway network provides commuters with fast and efficient transportation.

NJ Transit Train:

  • NJ Transit offers convenient transportation to Hoboken, Newark or New York Penn Station (rush hour trains require a transfer via Newark Penn Station) on the Raritan Valley Train Line. Please visit the NJ Transit website for scheduling and ticket information. For information on Westfield Commuter Parking Permits, please visit the Westfield Parking page.

  • Train ticket to New York Penn costs $9.25/ride or $270 for a monthly pass. Click here for other fare options.

· Express trains average at 48 minutes 

· Local trains average at 52 minutes (transfer via Newark Penn Station)

· Earliest train usually at 5:02 AM

· Latest train back usually at 1:00 AM

You may access an interactive schedule here.

Train Station Parking:

Westfield offers residents commuter parking permits for the Southside Train Station Lot Number 3 for parking beginning 5 am to 10 am, Monday through Friday.  Commuter parking permits are $696 annually and $420 semi annually.

NJ Transit Bus:

NJ Transit provides local bus service to/from Westfield on the 59 route.

Other Commute Options:

Berkeley Heights Schools

Westfield Public School District is a highly rated, public school district.   There is one early childhood school, 6  elementary schools, 2 intermediate schools and one high school.  Westfield Public School District has 5,942 students in grades PK, K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.

Westfield School District ranked #14 in the state by Niche in 2023.  For more details on district rankings click here. For the Westfield School District website click here.

Early Childhood Center: (Pre-K - K)

 
 

Elementary Schools: (Grades 1-5)

Middle School: (Grades 6-8)

High School: (Grades 9-12)

 
 

Westfield Town and Recreation

Westfield, NJ is such a special place to call home. Read below for some of our favorite local traditions and events, plus information on recreation, art, the local dining/shopping scene, and more.

Westfield, New Jersey Fun Traditions + Annual Events:

  • The Westfield Historical Society is based in the Reeve History & Cultural Resource Center, located in an 1870s home at 314 Mountain Avenue in Westfield, New Jersey. In 1985, the Reeve brothers donated their house to the town with the hope that it would someday be a permanent home for the Westfield Historical Society. The Reeve House may be toured by appointment. Details on visiting are available here.

  • The Westfield Historical Society also owns the Miller - Cory House Museum located at 614 Mountain Avenue. The circa-1740 Miller-Cory House was acquired in 1971 and is operated as a “living museum”, staffed by Miller-Cory House Museum volunteers. The Museum is open most Sundays from September to June except for holidays. It is also open during the week by appointment only. A listing of Miller-Cory events is available on the Miller - Cory House Museum website.

  • Ride with the community in Westfield’s annual family biking event. Bring your bikes and helmets and ride along with the Westfield Police Department on a family-friendly 2 mile bike ride. This ride is suitable for anyone that can ride a bike. Starting at the North Side Train Station Tour de Westfield is a fun-filled morning of biking activities! There are giveaways, competitions with prizes and DJ entertainment. More info available on the website for this amazing community event!

  • Each holiday season, Westfield Recreation Department sponsors a Holiday Lights Contest. Homes are awarded for their holiday light displays. Find more info and see the winners of the Holiday Lights Contest on the recreation department website.

  • Held each spring before Mother’s Day for ladies to shop, party and relax with girlfriends while enjoying in-store events and restaurant specials throughout downtown. Details can be found here.

  • Tuesday evenings during July and August at multiple downtown locations, enjoy live music while shopping, dining and relaxing. More info can be found here.

  • Throughout October, Westfield celebrates favorite son Charles Addams — cartoonist and creator of “The Addams Family” — and all things macabre with a variety of events in a variety of locations, including Addams Family Fun Day on Quimby Street. The AddamsFest website has all the details.

How to spend a perfect day in Westfield

  • 9:30am - Arrive in Westfield:

    • Arrive by NJ Transit train to the Westfield Train Station or drive and park in one of Westfield’s many parking lots to begin your walk around town.

    • Start with an amazing breakfast at Turning Point. Check out their seasonal specials menu, or try a healthy favorite like the I Can’t Believe They’re Vegan Pancakes, or indulge in the delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Toast.

  • 12:00pm - Grab Lunch at one of our favorites:

    • For a delicious cafe lunch and classic Italian pastry dessert, stop by the famous Bovella’s Pastry Shop.

    • Grab a juicy, sustainable, organic and fresh burger at BareBurger.  Classic, unique and vegan options available.

    • Enjoy an award winning sloppy joe sandwich from the Westfield outpost of the famous Millburn Deli.

  • 1:00pm - Driving Tour:

    • Take a driving tour to learn about all of the different Westfield neighborhoods with a Price Group Buyer Specialist!

  • 3:00pm - Enjoy a walk through nature and history:

    • Enjoy a historical walking tour of beautiful Westfield mapped out by the Westfield Historical Society, including many buildings around downtown Westfield. 

    • Take a relaxing walk through Brightwood Park, a 44-acre nature preserve featuring 1.6 miles of trails through forest and around a pond loop. The park also offers birding opportunities and picnic areas.

  • 5:00pm - Treat Yourself:

    • Stop in and play a huge assortment of both retro and new video games at Westfield’s ultimate arcade, Yestercades.

    • Relax with a local brew at Lions Roar Brewing Company, a neighborhood brewery focused on providing refreshing beer in a setting designed to help you escape the 9-5. Dog and family friendly!

  • 6:00pm - Have dinner before heading out at one of our favorite places: 

Then head back home, and reminisce on your amazing day spent in Westfield - and call your Price Group agent to start booking home tours!

Back in time…

The original inhabitants of Westfield were the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans. Many of our parks and neighborhoods remain named after them, including Mindowaskin Park, Tamaques Park, Lenape Park, and the Indian Forest residential section. The Lenape natives originally traded large portions of the land to early Dutch settlers between 1633 and 1655 but the Dutch failed to colonize the area. The English were destined to succeed.

In 1664, the Duke of York in England granted to his friends Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret a portion of land between the Hudson and Delaware rivers. Carteret called it New Jersey after the isle of Jersey off the coast of England where he grew up. Before the land grant was realized, Richard Nicolis, Governor of NY, bought land from the Native Americans including: Perth Amboy, Rahway, Springfield, Union, Westfield and Woodbridge.

 

This land cost: 2 Coats, 2 Guns, 2 Kettles, 10 Bars of Lead, 20 Handfuls of Gun Powder and 400 Fathoms of Wampum. The Natives believed they were selling hunting rights where the Colonists understood it as a land transfer (the idea being unknown to the Natives). John Baker was one of the parties of the transaction and got the land of Greater Westfield. His house was where the Municipal Building now sits and was the site of a tannery.

Elizabethtown became the first seat of government in NJ. The "West Fields" of Elizabethtown (or the Baker tract of land) was what Westfield was referred to in the early Colonial times. The Village of Westfield was established in 1720 and contained only a Tavern and general store (besides farmsteads). Westfield incorporated as a town in 1794.

Among the early settlers of Westfield were families whose names are associated with streets and places in the town today, including: Baker Avenue, Clark Memorial Park, Clark Street, Cory Place, Davis Court, Downer Street, Elmer Street, Lambertsmill Road, Ludlow Place, Ripley Place and Scudder Road. 

The Presbyterian Church of Westfield (originally The Presbyterian Church in the West Fields of Elizabethtown) was established in 1728 and its historic cemetery (the burial grounds of The Presbyterian Church) contains veterans of the Revolutionary War.

Today Westfield is a thriving town in Union County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the town population was 30,316. The population increased by 672 (+2.3%) from the 29,644 counted in the 2000 Census. The town has an active Historical Society, which owns and operates two historic sites in Westfield - The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center and the Miller-Cory House Museum, both located on Mountain Avenue Westfield is proud of its history and the historic sites which have been preserved for future generations, including its award-winning downtown.