Town guide · Somerset County
Living in Bridgewater, NJ
Bridgewater is one of the largest towns in Somerset County, a crossroads of Interstate 287, Route 22 and Routes 202 and 206. It stretches from the Watchung ridges in Martinsville down to the Raritan River, where the North and South Branches meet.
- County
- Somerset
- Population
- About 46,000 (2020 census)
- Size
- About 32 square miles
- Setting
- Suburban neighborhoods, ridgeline parkland and river valleys
- Main roads
- Interstate 287 (Exits 13, 14 and 17), U.S. Route 22, U.S. Routes 202 and 206, and Route 28
First things first
One township, several addresses
Bridgewater Township is served by more than one post office. Homes may carry a Bridgewater address with the 08807 ZIP code, a Martinsville address with 08836, or a Bound Brook address with 08805, as in the Thomae Park section.
Martinsville, Bradley Gardens, Finderne, Green Knoll and Bridgewater Center are census places inside Bridgewater, not separate towns. We always confirm the actual municipality, because that decides the tax rate and town services.
Neighborhoods
A township of named sections
Bridgewater received its royal charter in 1749 and was incorporated in 1798. Bound Brook and Branchburg were both carved from it later. Today it is a collection of named sections, several large enough to be counted as their own census communities.
- Martinsville: In the northeast, between the first and second Watchung ridges, with its own post office and Washington Valley Park.
- Bradley Gardens: The largest of the township's census communities.
- Finderne: A census community that is home to TD Bank Ballpark.
- Green Knoll and Bridgewater Center: Two more census communities inside the township.
- Other place names: Chimney Rock, Hobbstown, Middle Brook Heights, Milltown and Sunset Lake.
Homes
What you will find
- Single family homes in the township's named sections, from Bradley Gardens and Finderne to Green Knoll.
- Homes near the Watchung ridges in Martinsville, between the first and second Watchung ridges.
Worth knowing: Bridgewater homes use Bridgewater, Martinsville or Bound Brook mailing addresses, so we always check the block and lot. Land along the Raritan and its branches is low lying. Hurricane Irene in 2011 flooded the former American Cyanamid site near the river, and homes near the water should be checked against current flood maps.
Property taxes
What taxes look like in Bridgewater
- 1.829%2025 effective tax rate, as a share of market value
- $10,9642025 average residential tax bill
A home worth $600,000 on today's market would pay roughly $10,974 a year at Bridgewater's 2025 effective rate. Your actual bill depends on your assessment, so we pull the real tax record for any home you are considering.
Source: New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2025 general and effective tax rates. Rates are set each year.
Getting around
Roads and commuting
Interstate 287 is the main highway through Bridgewater, with Exit 13 at Route 28, Exit 14 at Route 22 and Exit 17 at Routes 202 and 206 south. Interstate 78 crosses a corner of the township without an exit. U.S. Route 22 and Route 28 run east and west, and U.S. Routes 202 and 206 run north and south. Bridgewater station, on the former American Cyanamid property, is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station. Much of the daily shopping is along the Route 22 and Route 202 and 206 corridors.
Places worth knowing
Parks, landmarks and open space
- Duke Island Park: A 339 acre Somerset County park with trails, bounded by the Raritan River and the Raritan Water Power Canal.
- Washington Valley Park: A 715 acre county park in Martinsville with a reservoir, trails, Buttermilk Falls and the Chimney Rock Hawk Watch.
- Raritan River Confluence: The point in the township's southwestern corner where the North and South Branches of the Raritan meet.
- Van Horne House: A Georgian house built around 1750 at 941 East Main Street, near Bound Brook, that served as a headquarters for Lord Stirling during the 1778 to 1779 Middlebrook encampment. It is listed on the National Register and is now the headquarters of the Heritage Trail Association, with exhibit space.
- Washington Camp Ground: The site on Middlebrook Road, north of Bound Brook, tied to the Continental Army's Middlebrook encampment.
Common questions
Questions people ask us about Bridgewater
What are property taxes in Bridgewater, NJ?
Bridgewater Township's 2025 effective tax rate is 1.829 percent of market value, and the average residential tax bill is $10,964, according to the New Jersey Division of Taxation. Actual bills depend on each home's assessment.
Is Martinsville part of Bridgewater?
Yes. Martinsville is a census designated place inside Bridgewater Township, with its own post office and the 08836 ZIP code. Homes with a Martinsville address pay Bridgewater Township property taxes.
Is there a train station in Bridgewater?
Yes. Bridgewater station, on the former American Cyanamid property, is on NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station. Bound Brook station is also close by.
Where do the branches of the Raritan River meet?
The North and South Branches of the Raritan meet at the Raritan River Confluence, in Bridgewater's southwestern corner. Duke Island Park sits along the river nearby.
What is the Chimney Rock Hawk Watch?
It is a lookout on the first Watchung ridge inside Washington Valley Park in Martinsville. Each fall, birdwatchers gather there to watch the raptor migration.
Nearby towns
Towns that border Bridgewater
Buying or selling in Bridgewater?
Martinsville hills or the Raritan valley
A hillside home in Martinsville and a house near the river in Finderne are two different markets. We price by section and street, with the flood map and the mailing address in hand, not by the township average.
Call or text either of us directly.