Westfield

Community Life

With its lively downtown, gracious homes and involved citizenry, Union County’s Westfield is truly a residential haven. Visitors may feel as if they’ve stepped back in time when they enter the town’s bustling shopping district. In fact, the retail part of town has been featured in commercials, major movies and television series based on its scenic, old-fashioned charm. 

In an era of big box stores and mega-malls, Westfield takes great pride in maintaining an attractive downtown. Small boutiques, restaurants, cafes, a movie theater and chain stores like Lord & Taylor and The Gap are part of the appealing streetscape. The Downtown Westfield Corporation was established to manage growth, plan special events and implement improvements. The corporation was so successful that Westfield received the Great American Main Street award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2004.

Education

Public school students attend several different elementary schools in town, coming together at the Thomas Alva Edison Intermediate School. Grades 9 to 12 go to Westfield High School.

Transportation

Approximately 30,000 people live within Westfield’s 6.29 square miles. Quick access to the Garden State Parkway and Route 22 is convenient for commuters, who can also board a New Jersey Transit train downtown for service to New York’s Penn Station, a trip that takes about 45 minutes. Newark Liberty International Airport is a short 20-minute drive from town.

Real Estate

Local residents refer to two sides of Westfield, the North and South sides, with the Raritan Line train tracks drawing a line through the middle. Neighborhoods include The Gardens, Brightwood, Indian Forest, Stoneleigh Park, Downtown, Wychwood and Manor Park. Home shoppers will find stately Colonials, Victorian homes with welcoming front porches, classic Cape Cods, modern condominiums and a variety of other housing options in an array of sizes, prices and styles ranging from modest to spectacular.

Local Attractions

Over 211 acres of ball fields and parkland are available in Westfield, including the county-run Echo Lake Park for boating and fishing. Scenic Mindowaskin Park next to Town Hall has a gazebo, gardens and fountains. In the summer, the town hosts concerts in this park, a Westfield tradition since 1912. A municipal pool complex and YMCA are further in-town amenities.

Westfield Info

Size: 6.8 square miles

Established: The Township of Westfield was settled in 1720, later to be split into the Town of Westfield in 1903

2000 Census Population: 29,644

Location:  Union County

Distance from New York City: About 23 miles

Distance from Newark: About 13 miles

Parks: Brightwood Park, Memorial Park, Clark Park

Local Historic Sites: The Westfield Town Bell, The Reeve House

Major Roads: Local highways include Route 22; short distance to Interstate 78, and the Garden State Parkway.

Mass Transportation: New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line provides rail service from the Westfield train station to Newark Penn Station in Newark with connecting service to Penn Station New York. The one-way journey time to/from New York Penn Station is 50 minutes. In addition, express bus service to New York City is available along Route 22 on the northern edge of the town, taking approximately 45 minutes. Olympia Trails also offers weekday bus service to New York City.

Housing: Colonials, Victorian homes with welcoming front porches, classic Cape Cods, modern condominiums and a variety of other housing options in an array of styles and sizes.