THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO …

Westfield, NJ

Looking to move to Westfield? You’re in good company! Learn more about this amazing town below!

OVERVIEW - FUN & FACTS - COMMUTE

SCHOOLS - PERFECT DAY - HISTORY

Welcome to the home of the Blue Devils!

Westfield is a classic New Jersey suburb blending charm, convenience, and community. Just 22 miles from New York City, it offers an easy commute by train, bus, or car while maintaining the feel of a small, picturesque town.

The award-winning downtown is the heart of Westfield, featuring an abundance of shops, boutiques, and restaurants, from national favorites like Trader Joe’s and Williams-Sonoma to unique local gems. Tree-lined streets showcase historic Victorian and Colonial-style homes alongside lush parks, golf courses, and recreational spaces for all ages.

Families are especially drawn to Westfield for its highly regarded schools and welcoming neighborhoods. Fun fact: Westfield is also the childhood home of Addams Family creator Charles Addams - whose iconic illustrations were inspired by the town’s historic architecture. 

Around Town…

    • Akai Lounge is a MUST when in Westfield. Get the Spicy Tuna Pizza, the Truffle Edamame, and the Miso Teriyaki Skirt Steak! Top it off with a lychee martini and you are golden.

    • An iced latte & chocolate fudge cookie from Kirshenbaum Baking Co.

    • For an upscale night, visit Chez Catherine - a local institution with the best prix fixe menu & souffle!

    • Addams Tavern for a cozy and delicious meal.

A doorway with a red carpet, gold stanchions with red velvet ropes, and a wooden door. To the left, there is a store window with mannequins displaying clothing. The building has a large glass lantern hanging on the right side of the door, and a mailbox on the wall to the right.
A busy street corner with storefronts, including the Urban Outfitters, and pedestrians walking on the sidewalk under a blue sky with some clouds. Traffic lights and street signs are visible, with the street named E Broad Street.

    • Plenty of shopping in downtown Westfield! Choose from some fav big brand stores like Urban Outfitters, Gap & more!

    • Patricia & Paul is always worth a visit for the best olive oils and vinegars! A group favorite is the Fig Balsamic - delish!

    • Heirloom has the best house finds - so many cute things it is hard to pick!

A large two-story house with a mix of stone and wood exterior, arched windows, a covered porch, and a well-maintained front yard with grass, trees, and shrubs.

    • Thinking about calling Westfield home? We’ve got the inside scoop and would love to show you around.

    • Get in touch!

Quick Facts:

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

  • 32k in 2025

  • 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 Public School District ranked #19 in the state by Niche in 2025.

    • 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.

  • 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

Westfield, NJ is such a special place to call home. Read below for some of our favorite local traditions and events!

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • One of Downtown Westfield’s favorite summer traditions. Come stroll through the heart of downtown and enjoy four days of amazing deals, special promotions, and sidewalk displays from your favorite local shops and national retailers. Whether you're looking for summer steals, unique finds, or just a fun way to spend the day, the Sidewalk Sale is a great way to support local businesses while enjoying everything downtown Westfield has to offer.

Explore our interactive map to discover Westfield’s key locations! Everything from City Hall, to all of our schools, parks, clubs, and more!

Commuting Options

One of the amazing things about Westfield is the easy commute to NYC! With a train line running 7 days a week, it is a commuter’s dream.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • All Boxcar buses are equipped with wi-fi, power outlets, and restrooms to make your ride as enjoyable as possible.

    • Buses pick up directly outside town train stations and offer curbside drop-off throughout midtown

    • 6:15 am/7:00am pickup. Bus will makes stops in NYC along 42nd street and Madison Avenue.

    • Each ticket costs $19.99, or $14.99 with a Boxcar Commuter membership.

    • Discounts available on the Boxcar app with coupon code summit15.

    • In the evening our buses leave at 5:30pm from 6th Ave (just south of 43rd St) and travel directly back to train station pickup locations.

    • Click Here for Boxcar Site

  • NJ Transit Bus:

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

    Other Commute Options:

All About Westfield Schools…

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. If you just want a coffee and some delicious pastries - pop into Kirshenbaum Baking Co!

  • 11:00am - Start exploring the Westfield shopping scene:

  • 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!

Let’s take a step 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.

An old black and white photo of a large, old-fashioned house with multiple stories, surrounded by leafless trees and a curved walkway leading to the front porch.
Videos & Walking Tours
A large gray house with a front porch, multiple windows, and a pitched roof, surrounded by trees, including a pink flowering tree.
Visit the Westfield historical society website

Ready to move to Westfield? Let’s talk!